


Blue Dawn

by seerunbe



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Avatar Comics don't exist here, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Happy Ending, I'm glad the fandom is growing, Idiots in Love, Mutual Pining, Not Compliant with Avatar Comics, Post-Avatar: The Last Airbender, Slow Build, Slow Burn, This is what should have happened, Worldbuilding, Zutara, Zutara is life, but so is adventure, it's helpful to know the TV show but not necessary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:42:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24630991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seerunbe/pseuds/seerunbe
Summary: The Hundred Year War is finally over. Team Avatar have been working to rebuild the world but now that things have finally settled down, what will they do with their free time?Adventure awaits the members of the team but the outcome might go beyond the original goal.
Relationships: Aang & The Gaang (Avatar), Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Aang/Katara (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 40
Kudos: 60





	1. Free Time

**Author's Note:**

> As stated in the tags, this work takes place shortly after the defeat of Ozai and the Avatar Comics don't exist in this universe! It's helpful if you're familiar with the TV show, but not necessary to understand the plot :)
> 
> As with all fanfics, creative liberties had to be taken to help build the world and create a fun story line. If you're here for a slow burn then buckle up!

The Avatar and Fire Lord walked through Capital City, observing the serval repair projects being done on the damaged buildings and roads. 

Nearly a month had passed since Aang had defeated Ozai and Zuko had taken his rightful place on the throne. 

Benders from the Earth Kingdom had offered to stay in the Fire Nation to help with repairs, but Zuko had declined their offer, saying that they had been away from their homes long enough. Since then Zuko had concentrated his efforts on building up and repairing all the surrounding areas that had been affected by the war. 

Aang glanced at the clear blue sky above him then again at the hard working Fire citizens around him. 

"It's hard to think about how different the world would be right now, if Ozai had won the war," he said. 

"There would hardly be a world left if my father had won," Zuko responded, waving back at a small child who had excitedly been trying to get his attention. "It's been an effort to try and get the Fire Nation to understand that as well. But they finally seem to be understanding."

Aang also waves at the small child, who had grown even more excited when she saw the Avatar. "I'm glad things are starting to turn around," he said. 

"I think a big part of that is because of your decision to stay in the Fire Nation, even after the rest of your friends needed to leave."

" _ Our _ friends, Zuko. And it's not a problem, now that I'm an expert in spreading peace and all!" He gave Zuko a large smile. "Speaking of spreading peace, I'm going to fly down to the base of the volcano, to see how everyone is doing there."

Zuko nodded and Aang flew off on his glider, receiving several gasps and cheers from the citizens around him.

" _ Our  _ friends," Zuko said aloud, a small smile appearing on his face. Aang, Toph, Suki, Sokka, Katara… aside from his uncle they were his greatest support. They had all come to Capital City to help rebuild both the infrastructure and the people's view on others outside the Fire Nation. It was because of their help that peace, true peace, was finally with the Fire Nation. And within himself. 

\---

"I think it's time I leave to see how the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes are doing," said Aang, breaking off another piece of bread for the turtle ducks. "But what do you think?"

Zuko watched as two baby turtle ducks fought over the piece of bread before one eventually ate it, causing the other to quack in indignation.

"I agree. Things here are finally stable, other places probably need your help more." 

Aang tore off another piece of bread and threw it to the complaining turtle duck. He laughed as it appeared to quack a "thank you" to him. 

"So what are you going to do once everything calms down? Do Avatars get any free time?" Zuko continued.

Aang sighed and gave the rest of his bread to the turtle ducks. He leaned back against the tree he was sitting next to and closed his eyes. "I'm not sure," he said. "Everything up to this point has been about saving the world or saving my friends. Maybe I just keep practicing my bending?" He opened his eyes and looked at Zuko, who was standing against a tree a few feet away. "What do Fire Lords do in their free time?"

Zuko stared broodingly at the pond in front of them. "Feed the turtle ducks, I guess."

A laugh boomed behind them, causing them both to jump. "You two sound too serious, talking like that."

"Uncle!" Zuko said, smiling. "You're back!"

"I am back, my nephew. Avatar Aang, it is good to see you," he bowed at Aang. 

Aang returned the bow. "It's good to see you too, Master Iroh."

"Oh please, just call me Iroh."

"How are things going at the tea shop?" said Zuko.

"Things are going well, business is booming. I recently hired a new assistant manager, which is why I was able to take time off to come and visit."

"I'm glad you were able to come, Uncle."

"Now let's talk about what you two are planning on doing in your free time. Even the Avatar and Fire Lord need to have fun." Seemingly out of nowhere he pulled out a teapot and three cups. He sat on the ground and gestured for the other two to sit with him. 

"Time is like this empty cup," he said, gesturing to the cups. "They all have the same  _ potential _ but the  _ value _ ," he began filling them with tea, "depends entirely on what you fill it with." He handed the filled cups to Aang and Zuko before taking a sip of his own. "That's why I chose to work at a tea shop, so I can literally fill my time with jasmine tea." He laughed again. 

"So, Avatar, what is something that you have been wanting to do but haven't had the chance yet?"

Aang sipped at his tea, watching the sun begin to sink below the rim of the volcano that held the city. "Well, there is one thing that's been on my mind for awhile. I just don't know if it's possible."

"You're the Avatar who just restored balance to the world. I'm sure anything is possible for you," Zuko said. 

"It has to do with my people, the Air Nomads."

"Oh…" Zuko glanced at his uncle, unsure of what to say.

"I know that there's no way to bring them back, that's not what I'm saying. It hurts, but I've finally found peace with the fact that they're gone." With the hand that wasn't holding his tea Aang fiddled with his glider that was laying next to him on the ground. 

"When I left the Southern Air Temple I didn't realize it would be for the last time. Now everything is destroyed. I've written down all that I know, but there's still so many things that I  _ don't  _ know or remember about the Air Nomads. The culture from all the Temples, history, names, dates, significant events…" he paused and took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I don't even know the recipe for the fruit pies Monk Gyatso and I used to make all the time."

Zuko drank his tea while Iroh ran his hand along his beard, both pondering. 

"If I had known the entire culture of the Air Nomads would depend on me then I would have paid more attention in school," Aang joked half-heartedly. "So, yeah, that's what's been on my mind recently." 

"I wish we could help you, but I doubt any Fire Nation history books contain accurate Air Nomad culture or information, if any at all," Zuko said quietly. "I imagine my grandfather erased their history from our society so that it would be easy to convince the war generals to wipe them all out."

"It is easy to hate those you do not know," said Iroh wisely. 

"That's what I figured," Aang said. "When I went to school in the Fire Nation they got mad at me when I tried to correct their information about the Air Nomads." He held out his cup to be refilled by Iroh.

"Maybe Ba Sing Se University? Have you tired there?" Zuko said.

"That's a great idea!" Aang shouted, accidentally spilling his freshly poured tea as he leapt to his feet. "Oh, sorry," he quickly water bended the tea back into his cup.

"I just hope that one hundred years of bad leadership and misinformation hasn't tainted the University like it has the Fire Nation," Iroh said, now cautiously keeping his teapot away from the excited Avatar. 

"That's true, I hadn't thought about that," Aang sighed, remembering how controlling Long Feng was with the help of the Dai Li agents. "If only there was a source of knowledge that wasn't tainted by bad people…"

"That would be helpful for a lot of circumstances," Zuko agreed. "A place like that would have to be well hidden so people couldn't-"

"THAT'S IT!" Aang interrupted, spilling his tea and water bending it back again. "Before we met you, Zuko, me, Katara, Sokka and Toph found an ancient spirit library that contained knowledge that wasn't corrupted by people. That's how we found out about the solar eclipse and how it took away fire bending."

"I always wondered how you knew," Iroh mused. "Sounds like the perfect solution to your problem. Why don't you go there?"

"Because we angered the Spirit that guarded the library, causing it to return the library to the spirit world and take our heads as trophies."

"Ah."

"So Ba Sing Se University it is, then," Zuko said. "It's a start, at least."

"Are you heading back to Ba Sing Se soon, Iroh? Appa and I can give you a ride since now we're going there."

"I would be honored, young Avatar. I was planning on returning in a few days, if you don't mind the wait."

Dusk had arrived, blanketing the surrounding area in purple. The warm red glow of the palace invited them in after they had finished cleaning up. Aang headed to the palace barn to say goodnight to Appa before going to bed himself. Zuko walked together to the section of the palace reserved for the royals. 

"And what about you, nephew? What is something you have been wanting to do but haven't had the chance?"

Zuko paused, thinking. "I don't know. There's so much to do, it's hard to imagine even having free time, let alone imagining what to do with it."

"It sounds like you need some help. A companion, perhaps." Iron ran his hand along his beard again. "Where's Mai? I haven't seen her since I got back."

Zuko frowned and stared ahead. "It's complicated. Her family has been having some problems, she needed to return to them. I'm not sure when she'll be back." 

Zuko continued to avoid his uncle's questioning state. What he had said was the truth, that Mai had to return to her family to help with family trouble. But that wasn't the whole story. After the defeat of Ozai he and Mai had promised to be together, forever. But as the days and weeks went on they found themselves drifting apart. It soon got to the point where the only time they spoke was when they argued. He thought about their last argument, the one they had before Mai left.

_ "Why is it so hard to talk to you? I feel like you're a different person," Zuko said.  _

_ " _ I'm  _ a different person? You should look in the mirror more, Fire Lord." _

_ Mai turned to leave, causing Zuko to lunge forward and grab her arm, turning her around. "Wait, please, don't go yet. We can't have this be our 'goodbye' until you get back." He let go of her arm as she turned fully around. _

_ "Well what should our 'goodbye' be?" she said, folding her arms.  _

_ Zuko paused. "At least tell me what I should do to make you happy again. Don't just storm off like you always do." _

_ Her yellow eyes narrowed beneath her black bangs. "At least I give you the decency of storming off instead of just leaving a note on your bed," she said, making Zuko remember the last time he had broken up with her.  _

_ "Can you just get over that? I've already told you why I needed to do that! I thought you would understand!" _

_ "There's a lot I don't understand about you, Zuko." _

_ "I could say the same thing about you." _

_ They stood, glaring. _

_ "Then maybe that's the problem," Mai eventually said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe we've changed too much to understand each other anymore." _

_ She turned to leave again and this time Zuko didn't stop her. It wasn't until the next day, after she had left, that her words began to hurt.  _

They still hurt but the pain was different than any of the other times they had argued. It was a deeper pain but Zuko refused to dwell on the reason why it was deeper. 

In the almost two months since Mai's departure they had written to each other a couple of times via messenger hawk. Their written conversations contained only superficial questions, idle chit chat and comments about the weather. 

"I'm sorry to hear that," his uncle said, returning Zuko to the present. "I hope she is able to return soon. You need someone to stand with you, Fire Lord Zuko. You need someone who accepts who you are but pushes you to be better. You need someone you can rely on, even at your lowest points." With that he yawned and stretched. "And now, an old man needs rest. Good night, my nephew." Iroh turned and entered his room, the guards closing the door behind him. Zuko walked the rest of the way to his own chambers where he undid his hair and put on his sleeping clothes. 

Laying in bed he stared at the ceiling, his mind whirring with what happened today and what needed to happen tomorrow. 

He thought about what his uncle said, about how he needed a companion. His thoughts then turned to Mai. When Zuko had returned to the Fire Nation with Azula, before the end of the war, he and Mai had spent almost every day together. They loved each other and had even discussed the possibility of their marriage in their future. Back then it all seemed so clear, but now Zuko was not so sure.

_ "You need someone who accepts who you are but pushes you to be better. You need someone you can rely on, even at your lowest points."  _

Iroh's words reverberated around his head. Months ago he would have thought this description fit Mai, no hesitation. But now he wasn't sure. 

" _ Maybe we've changed too much to understand each other anymore." _

That was the last thing Mai had said to him. What had hurt him so deeply. 

"It hurts because it's true," Zuko whispered aloud. "We've changed. We aren't who we need anymore."

Saying it didn't make the pain go away, but it did make Zuko feel better. Though what to do with that information he didn't know. It was a problem for another day. 


	2. Harbor City

_ A voice screamed, calling for help. Aang looked around for the source of the voice, but couldn't find it. Everything was black. He looked up as Appa flew above him. The voice screamed again and he found himself in a desert wasteland.  _

_ "Where are you?" the voice called.  _

_ Aang pressed forward through the sandstorm which had suddenly appeared.  _

_ "I can't see anything! Can you hear me?" the voice screamed again. It sounded familiar. _

_ Suddenly the storm stopped and Aang saw Katara, standing only a few places away. She was crying. Was she the one who was calling out? _

_ "Katara!" Aang called running toward her. But his voice was not his own. _

_ Katara turned to face him. She seemed hurt, but as soon as she saw him her face broke into a smile.  _

_ "You're alive!" she cried, falling into Aang's arms. "I thought I had lost you."  _

_ "I'll never leave you again," said Aang, wrapping his arms around her. _

_ But suddenly Aang was not the one hugging Katara. Now he was standing off to the side, watching the embrace. _

_ "I'll never leave you again," the man who was hugging Katara repeated. "If you promise to never leave me. Stay with me, Katara."  _

_ Katara pulled away from the embrace and Aang could now clearly see the man's face. It was Zuko. _

_ "Nothing would make me happier. I love you, Zuko," she said. _

_ Before Aang could react the sand beneath him opened like a trap door, pulling him into suffocating darkness.  _

_ "I love you, Zuko," Katara's voice repeated, like an endless echo. _

Aang gasped, his eyes flew open. It took him a moment to realize that he was not trapped beneath the sand in suffocating darkness but instead in the dim room in the Earth King's palace. Momo chirped at him from across the room, as if asking what was wrong. 

"It's nothing, Momo. Just a bad dream."

Momo, satisfied with Aang's answer, settled back into his pile of green blankets and went back to sleep. Aang watched him, wishing rest would return to him just as quickly. 

He rose and went to the bathroom, splashing water on his face from a nearby bowl. The cool wetness soothed him, slowing his racing heart. Though slightly different every time, this was the third occurance Aang had of the same dream: Katara calling for help, Aang coming to comfort her. But it wasn't Aang, it was Zuko all along. Then Katara confesses her love to Zuko while Aang simply watched. 

"But what does it  _ mean?"  _ Aang said to his reflection in the green crystal. 

Almost two months had passed since the end of the Hundred Year War. Aang had spent several days with Katara and their relationship seemed solid. Since then Katara and Sokka had returned to the South Pole to help rebuild their tribe with their father. Aang had escorted Toph back to the Earth Kingdom before returning to the Fire Nation to work with the newly-crowned Zuko in rebuilding peace and trust. 

Zuko had only asked about Katara once and that was a question about how she and her family were doing. Aang wasn't even sure if Zuko kept regular correspondence with any of them. 

"Maybe I'm just paranoid; stressed, from all that's happened." 

His reflection didn't respond. "I also haven't visited Katara and Sokka since they've been in the South Pole. Maybe this is a sign that I should visit before I go to Ba Sing Se University."

Having a plan made Aang feel better. He was also excited to see his friends again. Feeling tired, he returned to bed, telling himself that once Appa had rested he would make the long journey south.

\---

"A message for Katara and Sokka, from Avatar Aang." The woman bowed before handing a sealed scroll to Katara, leaving once the message had passed. 

"A letter from Aang?" Sokka said, coming up behind his sister. "And here I thought the Avatar had forgotten all about us lowly peasants after he saved the world."

"Oh shut up, Sokka. It's not like you've written him anything either."

He ignored her and returned to polishing his collection of boomerangs. "So, what's it say?"

Katara quickly read the short note. "It says he's coming to visit the South Pole! He should be here in a week!"

"Guess he hasn't forgotten about us peasants after all," Sokka said, failing to appear nonchalant.

Just then the flap that guarded the entrance to their igloo opened and Suki entered, clad in the traditional blue parka, a staple for anyone living at a Pole. 

"Hey guys," she said, throwing off her hood. "Polishing your boomerangs again, Sokka? Didn't you just do that this morning?" 

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Sokka retorted, rising to put his arm around Suki and plant a kiss on her cheek. 

"Hey Suki," Katara smiled, "guess what? Aang is coming to visit us in the South Pole!"

"Really? That's wonderful! Any particular reason?"

"He's the Avatar, he doesn't need  _ reasons _ ," Sokkay interrupted, causing both Suki and Katara to roll their eyes. 

"He didn't say, but I'm sure it's to see how progress is going on rebuilding the Southern Water Tribe," Katara said. 

"Or maybe he's just coming to visit a  _ special someone _ ," said Sokka, nudging his sister in the ribs with his elbow.

"Oh stop it," she said, turning away to hide her blush. It had been several weeks since she last saw Aang, him choosing to help Zuko in the Fire Nation for a while. Though she wished he would spend more time with her, she understood that him being the Avatar meant spending a lot of time away from friends in order to help others.

She also knew that Zuko, the new Fire Lord, had his work cut out for him in turning the war-loving Fire Nation into a land of peace and acceptance again. If she wasn't needed so much in the South Pole she would've also volunteered her time to help him in that endeavor. 

"Well, I think I'm done here," Sokka said, hanging up his last (polished) boomerang on the wall behind him. "You guys want to go to the market and get lunch?"

The girls agreed and soon all three of them were wearing their blue parkas and leaving the igloo.

Once their eyes had adjusted to the bright surroundings of the world outside the igloo they were on their way to the market. 

The sky was a crisp, clear blue, contrasting nicely with the pure snowy mountains that surrounded the city. The air was crisp and clean, full of the low chatter from the residence of the city. 

Originally Sokka and Katara had returned with their father and Suki to the small village the siblings had grown up in, a community near the southernmost point of the South Pole. Upon arriving, however, they found the village abandoned. Shocked, they searched the village for signs of life. Then, fearing the worst, Suki had then found a note in one of the igloos:

_ We have left for the capital of the South Pole. _

Relieved they made their way to Harbor City, which was where they were now. Pakku had greeted them upon arrival, explaining that he and Kanna had decided with the rest of the village that it was safer to live in the city, at least until the War had ended and they had the resources to return to the village. 

"Do you think Harbor City will get as big as Ba Sing Se?" Sokka joked, dodging a group of children that sprinted by, chasing an otter penguin. 

"Well, with all the hard work you guys and the Northern Water Tribe have been putting into the city, I don't see why not," Suki said, helping a child who had tripped while running. 

It was true that since Katara had learned water bending from the North Pole more efforts had been made to help strengthen the South Pole. And now that the war was over, more people had returned and more resources were available for growth. 

"Maybe not as big as Ba Sing Se, but I do hope we're recognized at least as much as our Sister Tribe," said Katara. 

They made it to the market, a bustling hub in the center of town. It was filled with stalls and signs pointing to the entrances of businesses. On the hill above them stood the biggest building in the city, the government building, where important town meetings and politics were held. 

People walked all about them, their parkas matching the sky and the shadows cast on the snow, breath rising in a hazy must about them. 

"What do you guys think? Blubbered seal jerky or arctic hen?" said Sokka, releasing his hand from Suki's to point to stalls that were selling the meats. 

"What about seaweed stew? I haven't had that in awhile," Katara responded, gesturing toward a different booth. She turned to Suki. "What do you think?"

Suki thoughtfully rubbed her chin. "What about some crab? You guys always talk about how good it is down here but I've yet to eat it."

Sokka looked appalled that he hadn't yet taken his girlfriend to eat crab. "You haven't experienced the Southern Water Tribe until you've eaten our crab! C'mon, let's go!" 

With that they were off, going down a few streets until they found the igloo restaurant that was famous for its giant sea crab.

As Katara ate she recalled the last time she had eaten crab, which was in the Fire Palace only a couple days after Zuko's coronation. She and her brother had been doubtful at Zuko's promise on how Fire Nation crab was better than Water Tribe. Sokka still claims that although the Fire Nation crab was good, it will never be as good as Water Tribe. Katara outwardly agreed with her brother, wanting to remain loyal to her roots, but inwardly she agreed with Zuko that the Fire Nation crab was better. 

Katara bit back a smile as she reflected on the memory. That night had ended with a good natured argument between Sokka and Zuko with Katara and Iroh helping their respective relations. Eventually the argument reached a stalemate when Zuko offered to take Sokka's crab off his hands if he didn't like it that much, to which Sokka responded by shielding his crab with his body, proving his liking of the crab after all.

"I didn't say I didn't like it, I just said I didn't like it _as much,"_ Sokka had said. 

Though Zuko had been one of her closest friends for several months, she was still amazed at how such a dangerous enemy had turned into such a good person. She made a mental note to ask Aang how Zuko was doing when he arrived at Harbor City.

\---

A week had passed and Aang had arrived. He was greeted warmly by all the citizens and a feast was arranged to celebrate his arrival. 

"You know, Aang, I always forget to ask- how come you don't ever need to wear a parka when you're in cold weather?" Suki asked him during the feast. 

"It's all about the breathing," he said as he choked down a bite of sea prune stew. "It's a technique that air benders can use to help control their body temperatures."

"That's similar to something Zuko did when he was put into one of the coolers on Boiling Rock. Fire benders temporarily lose their bending when put into cold situations like that. He said he was able to do it because of a breathing technique that his uncle had taught him."

"Iroh is a wise old man. I wouldn't be surprised if he got inspiration for that technique from the air benders." 

"Speaking of Zuko, how is he doing?" Katara said, overhearing the conversation. 

Aang stiffened at her question, remembering the dreams he had had about them. "He's doing fine… why do you ask?" He tried not to sound suspicious.

"I was just wondering. He's taken on such a big time, I'm glad you were able to help him, Aang." She took a bite of a kale cookie before continuing. "I'll have to visit him one of these days, have him give me a tour of the capital now that it's been repaired."

"I'll come with you, I want a tour too!"

"Weren't you just there?" Sokka said, mouth full of jerky.

"Oh, um, yeah I guess I was. Hey, guess what?"

"What?"

"Now that things are settling down I think I'm going to try and gather a history of the Air Nomads. Something I can preserve for the future, so the culture isn't lost."

"How are you going to do that?" Suki asked.

"I was planning on going to Ba Sing Se University. They've gotta have at least something on the Nomads."

"That's a great idea, Aang! I'm glad you're able to finally find time to do something other than saving the world for a change."

The rest of the evening was spent telling stories and receiving a tour of the highlights of Harbor City from the people of the Southern Water Tribe.

Before they knew it it was past midnight. Time could only be told by the number of yawns and children falling asleep in their parents arms.

"I think it's time we end the celebrations for the Avatar for today," Pakku said. "He has had a long day of traveling and will be here tomorrow. Goodnight."

The following morning the excitement of the Avatar in Harbor City had died down and Aang was able to spend more time with his friends. They talked about everything they had done after parting ways, including Suki's decision to leave the Kyoshi Warriors in the hands of Ty Lee so she could help Sokka and Katara.

"I'll be back eventually, though. Besides, it's been a nice change of scenery." 

Aang agreed, having not been to either Pole since Katara had mastered water bending from Pakku. He had missed the dangerous beauty the ice caps held.

"So when are you going to Ba Sing Se, Aang?" Katara asked. 

"I was hoping to go after I finished my visit here. And after I finish penguin sledding, of course," he laughed. 

"Are you going alone?"

"Actually I was hoping that you guys could come. It'll be a big project, I could use all the help I can get."

Sokka, Suki and Katara exchanged glances. They all wanted to go and help Aang, but there was still so much to do in Harbor City. 

"Unless you're too busy here, of course," Aang said quickly, understanding the meaning of their glances. 

"I don't think I'll be able to go. My dad and Pakku have been relying on me a lot to help with the architecture and city plans for expanding the city," Sokka said. "I wish I could go, though. It would be like old Team Avatar times!"

"That's okay, Sokka, I completely understand. I'm guessing you'll stay with Sokka, right Suki?"

"As much as I would love to visit the Earth Kingdom again, I think my place is here for now," she said, looking disappointed but determined. 

Lastly he turned to Katara, the one he wanted to go with him the most. "And Katara? What about you?"

Katara hesitated, her hand reaching up to touch her mother's necklace around her neck. Before she could speak Sokka interjected. "Why don't you go, Katara? Suki and I can help dad and the others. You deserve some time off."

Katara broke into a smile. "Really? Do you mean it? I don't want to leave you guys in a time of need."

"Go on, get out of here. Leave us lowly peasants be."

Katara hugged her brother and Suki. "You guys are the best! I owe you one."

The next few days were filled with packing and last minute tasks and goodbyes. Aang had given his blessings to Harbor City, thanking the Water Tribe for all their contributions in helping to win the Hundred Year War. 

After saying their final goodbyes they were off, riding Appa north to the Earth Kingdom, excited for what their future held in Ba Sing Se. 


	3. Jings

"Aang!" Ty Lee called, waving enthusiastically as Appa landed on the outskirts of Omashu. "Katara! It's so good to see you!" 

She gave both of them a hug before turning to give a head scratch to Appa and Momo.

"What are you doing in Omashu? Are the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors here?" asked Katara.

"King Bumi asked if we could come and help him maintain order in Omashu, so we came! The other Kyoshi Warriors are inside the city, only I was able to come out and greet you."

She gave them another hug before helping to take their luggage off of Appa's back.

"So why are you here?" she said once they started their journey into the city. 

"Katara and I are flying to Ba Sing Se from the South Pole and decided to stop here before continuing," said Aang. "I also wanted to see how Bumi was doing, now that he's back in control of his kingdom."

"That's very Avatar of you, checking in on people. I love it!" 

They made their way through the front gates, being opened by a team of earth benders. 

"It's good to see you again, Avatar Bonzu Pippinpaddleopsicopolis the Third," one of the earth benders said with a smile. 

"I'm surprised you remembered the name," Katara said, thinking back on the first time she and Aang had entered the city, where Aang had to disguise himself and come up with an alias. 

"It's hard to forget. Plus it makes a fun story for the kids."

After entering the city all three of them gazed up at the impressive sight: hundreds of houses covering the hills of the city like a forest of trees on a mountain range. The mailing system was just as impressive, with its complex systems of chutes and stations weaving through the city.

Aang and Katara were happy to see that almost all evidence of the War was gone.

"Everything looks so peaceful," Katara said, looking at all the people who walked around them. "Why did King Bumi ask you to come and keep 'maintain order'?"

Before Ty Lee could answer an argument broke out between a street vendor and a customer. 

"What do you mean these melons are two silver pieces? You just sold one for one silver piece to the last customer!" shouted a woman clad in red. Her anger was directed towards the melon vendor, a man dressed in green. 

"I did no such thing. You Fire Nation people are full of lies," the man responded. 

The argument escalated quickly but before Aang or Katara could respond Ty Lee had already rushed over and began speaking to them in calming tones. 

The woman grudgingly agreed to buy the melon for two silver pieces if the man included a mango in the transaction. 

Ty Lee cartwheeled back over, a smile returning to her face. 

"I hope that answers your question. After King Bumi regained control of his kingdom he found that several Fire Nation people wanted to stay instead of returning to their own country."

Looking around Katara noticed that while most people were wearing the typical green clothing associated with the Earth Kingdom, there were quite a few people wearing the Fire Nation's red. 

"For the most part everyone gets along, but occasionally there are fights that break out. King Bumi and the Omashu guards are busy repairing and running the city, which is where us Kyoshi Warriors come in," Ty Lee beamed. 

She continued to lead them up the city until they reached the Omashu Royal Palace, a grand building near the top of the talked hill in the city.

Ty Lee gave a small bow before bounding away to join the other Warriors. Aang and Katara entered the throne room, finding King Bumi eating crystal and speaking with one of his guards. As soon as he saw them he dismissed the guard and gestured them forward, calling out a greeting. 

"It's great to see you again, Bumi!" Aang said after giving his old friend a hug. 

"It's good to see you too, Aang. And Momo! Staying out of trouble, I hope?"

Momo chattered a reply which Bumi listened to before turning to Katara.

"Katara of the Water Tribe! Last I saw you was in my old people camp before the end of the War. It's good to see you too." He laughed as Katara gave him a hug as well, his snorts echoing off the tall ceilings. 

He led them to his dining hall where a feast had already been prepared.

"How did you know we were coming?" Katara questioned, seeing that only three places were set for herself, Aang and Bumi.

"I didn't!" Bumi laughed mysteriously before taking his seat at the head of the table. 

They began eating, Aang and Katara telling Bumi all they had been up to since the defeat of Ozai. He took particular interest in the art Sokka had made of Team Avatar, asking if a copy could be made for his personal collection. 

When conversation died down and their stomachs were full of food, Bumi turned to Aang.

"I see you have been working on mastering the eighty five jings, young Avatar," he said, his feathered headpiece starting to fall in front of his eyes. He attempted to blow the feather out of his face several times before succeeding.

"Oh, yes, the eighty five jings. How could I forget?" Aang replied, trying to sound like he knew what he was talking about. 

Katara giggled, noticing Aang's attempt at playing it cool. 

"But there are still a few yet left to learn. You have finally accepted your fate jing, but it is your destiny jing that I think you must work on next."

Aang looked surprised. "My destiny jing? I've accepted that I'm the Avatar and am going to spend my life maintaining peace and balance in the world. How can I practice destiny jing more than that?"

Bumi shook his head, causing the feathers from his head piece to fall over his eyes again. "Maintaining peace and balance is your  _ fate _ but it is not your  _ destiny." _

"Well what's the difference between fate and destiny?" said Katara, interest piqued at the conversation. 

" _ Fate  _ jing, fate, is the final destination of your wordly journey," he snorted, blowing the feathers out of his face again. " _ Destiny,  _ young water bender and Avatar, is the path you follow to reach your fate."

"I'm not sure I understand," said Aang. 

"Take for example your fight with the previous Fire Lord Ozai. Your  _ fate _ was to defeat him in order to restore balance. Your  _ destiny _ was the path you took to achieve that."

"You mean how I took his bending away instead of ending his life."

"Exactly," Bumi exclaimed, tossing a walnut to Momo. 

"Well then what is there to master about destiny jing? I seem to have a pretty good grip on it." Aang said, watching Momo attempt to crack open the walnut by banging it repeatedly on the table. Eventually Momo took the walnut to Katara who opened it with the nearby nutcracker. 

"Though your fate as the Avatar is the most important, it's not your only fate. There are other things in life in which you must choose your destiny."

"Other fates?" asked Katara. 

"Of course! Friendships, traveling, battles, romance…"

"Romantic fate?" said Aang, now truly invested. 

"Good example, Aang! Romantic fate. A person has a certain fate in romance. Mastering fate jing is knowing that. Mastering  _ destiny  _ jing is knowing the best way to get there. And usually it's different from what you think!" His chaotic laughter erupted again before abruptly stopping where he then announced that he was going to bed. 

Looking through a window outside Katara noticed that it had grown dark. A guard came in to show them to their rooms, promising that more hay and fresh water would be delivered to Appa tonight. Happy knowing that, Katara and Aang went to their beds, settling in for the night. 

Aang thought on Bumi's words as he closed his eyes to sleep. Despite his craziness, Bumi was full of wisdom and his advice had never led Aang wrong. 

_ Maybe I do need to focus on my destiny jing more,  _ thought Aang. He glanced over at Katara's bed across the room, just making out the rise and fall of her chest as she slept.

_ I feel that my fate does include romance. I'm sure it does,  _ his inward dialogue continued. He rolled to his other side, now facing away from Katara. 

_ And I'm almost certain my best destiny is going to be with Katara.  _

_ Almost.  _

Aang fell asleep, finding himself in a familiar place. Darkness. Suddenly he was in a desert, following a voice that cried out for help. The voice was Katara's. Aang ran to help her, but he was not Aang. He embraced Katara but suddenly he was watching from an outside perspective. The man comforting Katara was not Aang. It was Zuko. The trap door opened beneath Aang, the darkness swallowing him whole.

\---

"Thank you again for your hospitality, Bumi," Aang bowed to his old friend. Katara also thanked him, promising to see if Sokka would be willing to send him a copy of his artwork of Team Avatar. 

The Kyoshi Warriors saw Katara and Aang off after Aang had made a speech to the city about the importance of kindness and acceptance, especially between peoples separate nations. Appa greeted them with a happy grumble when he saw them and then they were off, heading for the great city of Ba Sing Se.

"Is this the Si Wong Desert?" said Katara after they had been flying for a few hours. Aang looked down at the sea of sand that extended for miles all around them. 

"Yeah, that's it," he replied. The desert gave him a bad taste in his mouth as he remembered this was where his beloved flying bison was taken from him. Appa seemed to remember this too as he began to speed up, as if trying to escape the desert as quickly as possible. 

"I'm glad we have Appa with us this time," Katara said quietly. She also seemed to be thinking about their days stranded in the desert after Appa was taken. 

They flew a few more minutes in silence before Katara spoke again."Remember how Sokka gave the Owl Spirit a knot that he had tied as his contribution to the library?" she giggled. 

"Yeah," Aang laughed. "And I thought my wanted poster was toeing the line."

"I wonder where the library is now. Do you really think Wan Shi Tong returned it to the Spirit World or he just sank it below the sand?"

Aang thought for a minute, scratching his chin. "He probably returned it to the Spirit World. Wan Shi Tong sounded serious when he said he would do that."

They talked about how a library would work with spirits and debated whether or not spirits knew how to read or if they even needed a library. They also talked about their other adventures in the Earth Kingdom and Katara's excitement to return to Ba Sing Se.

Eventually they were without the walls of the city itself. Seeing the Avatar's bison flying towards them, the benders at the front of the city opened the gate, allowing them passage. 

"Welcome back to Ba Sing Se, Avatar!" Aang heard one of the benders call as they flew by. 

They flew Appa to the city zoo, leaving him in the care of the zootaker, one of the only men in the city Aang fully trusted with his flying companion. 

Taking the train they eventually arrived near the home that was given to them in the Upper Ring of the city. 

Originally the house had been temporarily gifted to them while they waited for an audience with the Earth King all those months ago. After the war the house had been a permanent gift to be used whenever Aang or his friends came to visit the city. 

"Do you think the University campus is closed by now?" Aang said, noticing how the sun was beginning to set. 

"Probably. Besides, we need to get some rest. It's going to be hard work recording the entire culture of the Air Nomads, after all," spoke Katara as she started undoing her braid. "We'll head for the University first thing tomorrow. I'm excited to learn more about your people."

Aang smiled, he was excited too. His only hope was that the Earth Kingdom had done a better job at keeping accurate history records than the Fire Nation. 


	4. Good Advice

A bead of sweat trailed down the bridge of Zuko's nose till it dropped off the tip. He relaxed out of the stance he was in, catching his breath.

"Your skills improve daily, Fire Lord Zuko," Lo spoke, her old quavering voice carrying across the training ground. 

"But it seems that your mind is not on the training," Li said, continuing her sister's sentence.

"What are you thinking about?" Lo and Li said in unison. 

Zuko sighed and walked to the edge of the training ground to grab his towel and a drink of water provided by a palace servant. 

Lo and Li watched from their cross-legged positions at the head of the grounds. Zuko had learned that despite their years and apparent frailty the sisters' minds were sharp, clear and wise. Despite not being able to bend they were respected fire bending teachers. Their techniques and teaching skills were so advanced that for years they were the personal fire bending instructors for Azula.

Zuko remembered the letter he had received from them only a few days after his coronation. They explained in the letter that they had been banished by Azula and we're wondering if Zuko would grant them permission to return to the Fire Nation. 

Shortly thereafter they became Zuko's new bending teachers, a position that had become vacant since Iroh had returned to his tea shop in the Earth Kingdom. 

"It's nothing," Zuko grunted. He knew they wouldn't believe him, but was grateful they had the tact to not press him further. 

He finished his training for the day and headed for the royal bathhouse, figuring he should be clean before heading to the council meeting he has later that day. 

The hot water filled the tub, filling the room with steam. As a child Zuko had done his best to avoid this place, wanting to play rather than bathe. Now it was a place of refuge, peace. 

The room was dragon-themed, with paintings and bronze statues featuring the creature. Even the faucet was a dragon, but instead of breathing fire it breathed hot water into the golden tub. 

Zuko sighed as he sank himself into the water. He never realized how tense his muscles were until he tried relaxing. Water was one of the few things that helped his muscles and mind ease. 

He leaned his head back, looking at the ceiling. There was a painting of two dragons there, flying in sync, making a giant spiral. He wondered if, when dragons populated the world, they ever accidentally flew into each other while in the air. He chuckled when he imagined the two dragons he and Aang had met, large and powerful beasts, crashing into each other. 

His face grew serious again as he thought about the fact that those dragons were the last two on earth. 

_ Another issue brought on by the Fire Nation,  _ he thought, closing his eyes. 

Since taking the throne and becoming the Fire Lord, Zuko felt like he had aged at ten times the normal rate. There was so much he had to do, so much responsibility and power he now possessed, it was hard not to become overwhelmed. 

Mai had helped him in this regard, keeping his anxieties at bay. But that was all it was, holding off his worries for another time. Never making him feel good all together. 

And now she was miles away and they were barely speaking. Uncle Iron was in the Earth Kingdom, unable to give him ready advice. Zuko's mind turned to Team Avatar (the nickname Sokka had given to their group of friends), the last people he felt truly close to. What would they say? 

He imagined their voices and personalities, guessing what they would say if he told them about his troubles: 

_ "You're the Fire Lord! Just order some people around, that'll make you feel better,"  _ Sokka would say. 

_ "Sounds like you're just complaining. Grow a thicker skin and move on,"  _ Toph would say, in her usual calloused way.

_ "Have you tried visiting a spa? Or maybe beating someone up?"  _ is the advice Suki would give, probably after visiting a spa and beating someone up.

Aang would probably give a wise saying he learned from the monks when he grew up in the Air Temple. Aang reminded Zuko a lot of his uncle in that way. 

Then he thought of Katara, and the advice she would give. He imagined her giving him some sort of monologue about having hope. 

_ "Being the Fire Lord is hard,"  _ she would say,  _ "but that's why  _ you  _ need to be the one to do it." _

_ "I know, but that doesn't make it any easier,"  _ is how Zuko would respond. 

_ "What would make it easier?" _

_ Zuko thought to himself for a moment. "Having a friend nearby. Someone I can talk to." _

_ "Are you telling me you feel lonely? Up in that palace full of people?" Katara teased.  _

_ "Alone and lonely are two different things." _

_ He and Katara looked into the sunset while sitting on a pier, their feet in the warm ocean.  _

_ "Would you feel less lonely… if I stayed with you?" _

_ Zuko couldn't tell if it was the setting sun or a blush that was making her face that shade of pink. He gulped down the lump that had appeared in his throat. _

_ "You- you would do that?" _

_ "Would you want me to?" _

_ She turned to face him. Her eyes were a clear blue. Zuko had never seen such beautiful eyes.  _

_ "Yes." _

_ They leaned in closer, closing their eyes. Right before their lips touched… _

"Fire Lord Zuko! Are you in here?"

Zuko started, eyes flying open. He didn't realize he had fallen asleep. The water was now barely warm instead of hot, he must've been asleep for a little while. 

The voice outside the door called for him again, he recognized it as his manservant, Kaizen. 

"I'm here, sorry, I must've fallen asleep. I'll be out shortly."

"Fifteen minutes to the council meeting. I'll be in your room to help dress you," said Kaizen. The threat of being late to the meeting with his council members drove all other thoughts out of his mind. He rushed to drain and tub and put on his robe before going to his room to be dressed. 

It wasn't until he sat down at the meeting that he could attempt to slow his heart rate and calm down. He had barely made it to the meeting on time and hoped that none of the other members, all of whom were older and more experienced than he, noticed how flustered he was. 

But why was he so flustered? Sure, he had almost been late, but he wasn't. And the council members would have understood if he were late anyway. 

As he thought back the dream he had while he was sleeping slowly came back to him. He was sitting on a pier, looking out into the sunset. He was talking with someone, but who?

He looked up as one of the council members spoke to him, asking a question. Zuko answered then returned to his thoughts. 

It had been a good dream. He had felt calm during the dream. It was soft. Who was he talking to? 

Zuko answered another question, one about opening trade with the Water Tribes.

_ Water Tribes… _ Zuko thought. He was sure that had something to do with the person in his dream. 

Was he talking to Sokka? Was he talking to Katara…?

Suddenly the dream came back to him. He had been with Katara on the pier, watching the sunset. She was comforting him. She had offered to stay with him, here, in the Fire Nation. He had accepted. Then they had almost kissed. 

"Fire Lord Zuko? The reading routes?" said one of the members. 

"Oh, yes. Trading routes…"

The discussion continued, Zuko making an enormous effort to be present. 

_ Why did I have a dream about Katara?  _ he thought to himself. It had never happened before.  _ And besides _ ,  _ she's dating the Avatar while I'm dating… or at least I'm associated with Mai.  _

Eventually he decided that the dream was a result of stress and the fact that he was in water when he dreamt it. He rationalized that it was to be expected to dream of Katara when thinking about which of his friends would be able to hear him out, about his Fire Lord stresses. That's just who Katara was; she was a good friend. Nothing more. 

\---

"What's on my schedule for this afternoon?" Zuko asked Kaizen, a few days later. 

"Nothing, Fire Lord Zuko. You're free until tomorrow, as a matter of fact."

Zuko thanked and dismissed him, thinking about what he was going to do to fill his day. He thought about his last free evening, spent with Aang and Iroh. He wondered how Aang was doing on his quest to compile the history of the Air Nomads. 

"I wonder how well recent Fire Nation history is recorded," he said to himself. 

Deciding that was a good use of his free evening, he made his way to the Dragonbone Catacombs.

The Fire Nation prided itself on the literacy and education of its people and had libraries all over the Nation's territory. But it was the catacombs that contained all the other library's contents combined, as well as rare and first-edition books and works of art. If there was to be an accurate represet of Fire Nation events, especially ones that happened in the past hundred years, it would be there. 

Zuko reminisced about the last time he was here, when he had to sneak past the Fire Sages in order to find the information he was seeking. Now they bowed as he passed by, asking if there was anything he needed. 

Zuko had decided to not request the aid of the Fire Sages unless he absolutely needed it. They had been the closest to the previous Fire Lords during the war, and if there were any inaccuracies in the Fire Nation history records it was probably by their own hand. 

He also wanted to spend time on his own, personally working to right the world in his own small way. 

Four hours had passed in the blink of an eye and Zuko had only made it through the first three scrolls of history. 

"There's almost more propaganda than there is actual history," he muttered to himself. "And it's all so disorganized."

He rubbed his shoulders, now sore from leaning too long while reading. The candles he brought had also started to burn low and threatened to extinguish. 

In a moment of decision, he took the scrolls he had read and placed them in the satchel he had brought with him. He needed a desk, better lighting and a proper chair to sit in. 

A Sage asked him if he found everything alright, to which Zuko responded he did, even finding a little homework. He didn't bother to continue explaining, figuring the Sage wouldn't be happy with him taking things from the catacombs, even if Zuko was the Fire Lord. 

He made it back to the palace as the sun was setting. He spread the first scroll on his desk, placing a notepad next to it. The first thing he would need to do is order things chronologically.  _ Then  _ he would go back and make sure everything is as accurate as it can be. 

It was a large project, but Zuko was happy to take it on. He needed it almost as much as the Fire Nation did.


	5. The Library

Three days had passed since Katara had arrived with Aang at Ba Sing Se and they were finally on their way to the University.

The three days had been filled with greetings, celebrations and banquets. Discovering that the Avatar was in their city caused an excitement and many people had come forward with gifts and words of thanks for Aang. 

In the beginning Katara had participated, but over time she grew tired of all the Avatar parties thrown by people who were in complete denial about the Hundred Year War until it had already ended. She told Aang this when she left to explore the city with Momo.

Although it was true, the reason she gave Aang for not wanting to participate in the Avatar parties, it wasn't the whole truth. The part she didn't tell him had to do with the hurt she felt when people made no acknowledgement of her contribution to winning the war. 

She knew it was petty and she knew that Aang was the main factor behind the victory, but still… to only be known as the Avatar's girlfriend, nothing more, pricked her nerves. 

Katara was sure that if she told Aang this he would make an effort to point some of the celebrations toward her, but she didn't want to do that. It would only make her feel guilty, Aang doing things because he felt sorry for her.

He had also been acting different around her, even since picking her up at the South Pole. She wondered if it had anything to do with his lack of sleep- it sounded like he was having bad dreams most nights, though he didn't want to talk about them. 

They were both glad when they could finally make it to Ba Sing Se University. It was overcast that day, but the clouds did nothing to dampen their spirits. After receiving directions to make sure they were heading in the right direction, they got a ride in a carriage pulled by an ostrich horse and eventually made it to the University campus.

"It's even bigger than I remember!" gasped Katara after they got off the carriage.

Standing before them was the large gateway marking the entrance to the great school. An enormous stone plaza stretched before them, the middle of which contained a giant statue of a scholar. Surrounding the plaza were great buildings, all roofed with green tiles trimmed with yellow, in line with traditional Earth Kingdom architecture.

Swathes of grass also surrounded the plaza, between the buildings, dotted with trees, fountains and benches. Students could be seen on these benches, reading books and talking with their peers. A few other students ambled about from building to building, unbothered by the gloomy day. 

"I wonder if we'll run into the student we met the last time we were here," said Aang as he and Katara entered the gateway. 

"I don't think we even got his name," responded Katara.

"He had glasses and was short, I remember that."

Katara looked around. Dozens of students matched that description. 

"Which building do you think is the library?" said Aang, after also realizing how many short students with vision problems there were.

"My guess would be that big one up ahead. If not then we can ask around."

They walked across the plaza toward the building Katara had pointed at, which towered several feet above the others. It's entrance was a double door, carved with the Earth Kingdom's insignia. Walking passed the row of tall stone pillars that flanked the doors, they entered. 

"Whoa…" Katara and Aang spoke in unison, looking around. 

Immediately before them was a large stone desk, also emblazoned with the Earth Kingdom insignia. It was manned by five people, all busy helping students. Beyond the desk stood hundreds of bookshelves stocked with thousands of books. 

Looking up they could see more floors of bookcases and books. The ceiling was peaked, the interior lights almost unable to fill all the space. 

Pillars matching those outside the entrance served to hold the structure up, like giants.

"First time visiting the library, dears?" a quavering voice called. 

The Avatar and waterbender dropped their gaze from the ceiling to find the source of the voice: an old man sitting behind the giant stone desk. 

"How could you tell?" asked Katara. 

"Regular library attendees don't usually stand in the foyer with their mouths hanging open," he said with a smile.

Aang quickly closed his mouth, looking sheepish. 

"And you must be the Avatar," continued the old man, looking at Aang. "I had heard a rumour that you were in our city, I'm glad to see that it was true." He lowered his head in a bow. "How may I be of service?"

"I'm here to look at the record your library has on my people, the Air Nomads."

"Oh really? Well, I'm happy to report that we have an entire section on the Air Nomads. Or at least we did back when I was a student," he chuckeld. "Haven't been to that section of the library in several years. My old knees can't climb those stairs anymore." He gave another wheezy laugh before turning to Katara. "And how might I help the Avatar's friend?"

"I wouldn't mind seeing what you have on water bending," she replied. 

The old librarian wrote down on a slip of paper where they each needed to go to find what they were looking for then bid them farewell. 

Walking past the front desk they saw a large area ahead filled with smaller desks, almost all occupied by studying students.

"Water bending is on the second floor, where do you need to go?" Katara said once they made it to a large sweeping staircase. 

"Fourth floor, all the way to the top," said Aang.

"Think your old knees can make it up there?" joked Katara.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Tomorrow I'll go with you to help record some history and culture. I just want to see if there's any new water bending tips I can pick up today."

"Sounds good. I was planning on just reading today too, then recording tomorrow."

They departed after climbing to the second floor, Aang continuing upward with Momo. They agreed to meet back at the front desk when they were finished.

Katara pulled out the slip of paper the librarian had given her and followed it's instructions till she reached the section of books labeled Bending, Water. 

It wasn't as large as the earth bending section she had passed a while ago, but Katara was still happy to see that her bending heritage was represented. 

Pulling out her first book at random, she began reading. It was an older book about bending etiquette in the North Pole. 

_ Though our land may be formed of water, one must maintain the integrity of the structure by only bending in designated areas within the City,  _ she read. Flipping ahead, she found an entrance about bending around women:

_ One must display poise and grace around women. Bending should only be done out of necessity, never out of show. Our bending sisters must focus their energies on healing, not brute strength.  _

Kara rolled her eyes at the passage and closed the book. Master Pakku, a water bending master from the North Pole, had been resistant to teaching Katara because he too believed that women must "focus their energies on healing." Though he eventually changed his mind and tutored her, Katara was grateful she was born in the South Pole, where male and female benders were equal. 

Putting the etiquette book away she began searching for another to read. Walking down the row of books something caught her eye: an orange book in the sea of blue. She pulled it out, expecting to see a book that had simply been misplaced. But after reading the title, she was surprised to find that the little orange book really did belong with all the blue.

" _ Water Bending: Drawing From Flame," _ Katara read again. It sounded just as strange reading it out loud as it did reading it in her head. 

"What does it mean, 'drawing from flame'? Fire and water are opposites," she murmured, taking the book and sitting down on a nearby chair. 

Upon closer inspection she figured that the book used to be red but had turned orange with age. The corners of the cover were dull and frayed, the pages beginning to yellow. She figured the book was at least fifty years old, if not a hundred. Below the title was a picture featuring the symbol for fire surrounded by the symbol for water. Katara had never seen anything like it, it was strange. But the more she stared, the more it felt familiar. 

Eagerly she opened it to the first page:

"Though only the Avatar can literally manipulate the four elements, all persons can master the techniques and incorporate it into their own bending. 

Water and fire are more similar than they are different. Both draw on emotion and are directly related to celestial bodies (fire being the sun, water being the moon). Self-control, diversity and will power are hallmarks of each bending discipline. 

Water and fire compliment and complete each other. Both carry the weight of life and both carry the weight of death. When used in harmony, these elements bolster and build one another in unique ways…"

She returned to the cover, looking for the name of the author. "Ukeri" was the only thing written on the cover aside from the title. The name sounded vaguely familiar, though Katara wasn't sure where she had heard it. Looking again at the signs of aging displayed on the book, she made a mental note to ask her grandmother and Master Pakku if the name Ukeri sounded familiar to them. They might have known who the author was, or at least heard of them. 

She flipped through the book briefly. The first portion of the book was almost all words, talking about (Katara assumed) the harmonization of fire and water. The rest of the book featured illustrations of water bending techniques Katara didn't recognize. 

Not wanting to get ahead of herself, she went back to the first page and continued reading, quickly becoming engrossed. 

Before long she had finished the short book and was excited to try some of the new water bending techniques she had read about and seen diagrams of.

Suddenly she heard the familiar chatting of Momo. Looking up she saw him glide toward her, his chattering increasing in urgency. 

"What is it, Momo?" she asked, stretching her muscles as she stood. She had been sitting in the same position for a long time. 

Momo continued to chatter then started to fly in the direction of the stairs. 

"Is it about Aang? Is he ready to go home already? I guess it has been a few hours."

She grabbed a few more books off the shelves, not sure when she would be able to return to this section of the library because of her promise to help Aang tomorrow.

Heading downstairs she weaved between all the tables and chairs filled with studying students.

She eventually saw Aang at the front desk, engaged in what appeared to be a heated discussion with the old librarian who had helped them earlier. 

Going as fast as she could without dropping any books, she soon made it to the desk. 

"... you mean to tell me that that's all there's ever been? None of it was destroyed or moved somewhere?" said Aang. He sounded frustrated. 

"I'm afraid that what's there is what we have. No one has ever complained about it before," said the old man.

Aang sighed in defeat. He gave Katara a grim smile as she walked up. 

"I'd like to check these out, please," she said, handing the books to the librarian. 

"Did you find everything you were looking for?" he asked, stamping her books.

"Yes! In fact I found a really interesting book, it's about-" 

She stopped short when she saw the look on Aang's face. It didn't seem like the time to talk about everything she had found, not when Aang looked so dejected. 

"Well, here you go. They're due back in one week. Have a nice day!" The librarian handed the books back to Katara and a note with the due date stamped on it. 

Katara waited until they were outside to ask Aang what was wrong. 

"Their Air Nation history, that's what's wrong. They have only the bare minimum. The rest is about as accurate as the play we saw on Ember Island."

"Aang, that's awful. Is that why you were asking the librarian if anything was misplaced?"

"Yeah. I searched everywhere before I went to ask him, but I just wanted to be sure."

"Do you really think that that's all the library has or do you think some of it was destroyed, like what happened in the Fire Nation?"

"I don't know. Probably a mixture of both. And a hundred years of no one maintaining records is bound to have an impact."

"They had a section on air bending techniques near where I was. Maybe something is there?"

"I went there and no, it's just air bending techniques."

"It's better than nothing."

"That's true, but air bending is one of the few things I already know everything about." 

Katara looked at Aang's tattooed arrows, a symbol of his status as a master air bender. Sometimes she forgot how good of a bender he is, and how young he was when he became a master. 

They found a carriage and climbed in, asking the driver to take them to their house. 

"So what's your plan now? I'm willing to help you look through the library again tomorrow. It might help, having a second pair of eyes to look things over," Katara said.

"Maybe…" was Aang's response. 

They both stared out the carriage window before getting dropped off in front of their house. 

Katara places her books in her room under the blanket, not wanting to draw Aang's attention to her success at finding things in the library. 

It wasn't until after their dinner that Aang brought up the library again. 

"I think I should go to a different library to find the history of my people," he said, setting down his empty bowl of rice. 

"But Aang, I'm not sure if there  _ is  _ another library that will have what you're looking for. If Ba Sing Se University doesn't have anything then I doubt anywhere else in the Earth Kingdom will." Katara set down her own bowl. "We know the Fire Nation doesn't have anything and the Water Tribes are notorious for only keeping records about their own people."

"The library I'm thinking of isn't a part of any of the Nations."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I might have to leave the physical world in order to find what I'm looking for."

"The Spirit World?"

Aang nodded.

"You don't mean…" Katara said, eyes widening as she realized what Aang was referring to. "Wan Shi Tong's Library?"

Aang nodded again. "I know it's dangerous, but it's the only place that will have an untouched record of my people."

"How are you going to find it? And even if you did find it, how are you going to take notes or borrow books? I thought you can't bring in or take things from the Spirit World."

"I know."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to enter the Spirit World. I'll find Wan Shi Tong. Then I'll convince him to return his library to the physical world."


	6. Spiritual Places

"But Aang, that's too dangerous. Wan Shi Tong tried to kill us the last time we were at his library."

"I know, but I at least have to try."

"And what if he doesn't listen? What if this doesn't work?

"Then I'll leave and I won't go back."

Katana paused, surprised by Aang's ready answer. "And… you'd be okay with that?"

"I want to do everything I can to preserve the history and culture of my people, but I don't want to abandon the world again." He gave Katara a smile. "After all, you guys are my people too. You're just as important to me as the Air Nomads were."

Kara returned the smile, walking up to Aang and giving him a hug. "Thank you, Aang. But let's go back to the University library tomorrow and make sure there really isn't anything we can use. I don't want you to go to the Spirit World if you don't have to."

"Okay, deal," Aang laughed.

Katara went to bed that night, unsure if she should feel relieved or even more worried. 

Aang had promised to stay safe in the Spirit World, should he have to go and visit Wan Shi Tong. It also wasn't his first visit to the Spirit World. But the worry about him going swirled in her stomach like a poison. 

_ I wish I could just go with him,  _ she thought to herself.  _ I think I'm just worried because I know I won't be able to help him if he gets into trouble.  _

_ But he's the Avatar, he won't get into trouble,  _ she argued with herself.  _ And this isn't the first time, nor will it be the last, that you won't be able to help him with this sort of thing.  _

That thought made her feel a twinge of sadness. She knew that there would always be a separation between her and Aang, a divide she would never be able to cross. 

\---

The next morning Katara and Aang awoke equally unrested, though both for different reasons; Katara was worried and Aang had the dream about Katara calling for help in the desert again. Not wanting to worry the other, they both kept their spirits up during breakfast, expressing their hopes in finding useful information at the library so that Aang wouldn't have to enter the Spirit World needlessly. 

Exiting the carriage outside the University gates, they walked toward the grand building as Momo flew beside them. The old librarian gave them a wheezy greeting when they passed his desk. After returning the greeting the couple stopped and faced each other.

"I can take the top floors this time, if you want to take the bottom," said Katara. 

"Deal. Momo can fly between us to send word to the other if we found something."

"Sounds good. Meet back here in a few hours?"

Aang gave Katara a thumbs up before (quietly) jogging to the first row of books. 

Katara headed toward the stairs and climbed to the top floor, beginning her search there. 

She soon found the section on air bending that Aang had talked about. Flipping through the books and scrolls she decided to check out a couple, just in case Aang changed his mind about not wanting them.  _ Better safe than sorry,  _ she thought. She also grabbed the few other books on Air Nomads to take home for the same reason. 

All too soon she had finished her search and had found nothing else. With a feeling that weighed her down with every step toward where she would meet Aang, she headed toward the meeting place where she would see Aang soon. Momo had never come to her with a sign that air benders had found anything about his people, so she was doubtful he had any more success than she. 

Like yesterday, she found Aang near the front desk talking to the librarian when she walked up. They finished their conversation when she arrived and after checking out the books Katara had grabbed, they left. 

"I checked out a few Air Nomad books, just in case you change your mind about them," Katara said. 

"Thank you, Katara. It's better than nothing, that they're there. I should be more grateful," he smiled. 

"Does that mean you won't need to go to the Spirit World?"

They got into the carriage before Aang responded. 

"No, I still have to try to get more knowledge about my people. Even if Wan Shi Tong rejects me, or I can't find him, it'll still be better than not trying at all."

"I suppose you're right. I'm just worried."

Aang took her hand. "I've grown as a person, and as the Avatar. I'll be alright, I promise."

Katara gave him a smile and his hand a small squeeze. "I just wish I could help."

"Your presence is all the help I need."

Though the words brought comfort to Katara, they again drew her attention to the divide between herself and the Avatar.

"So what were you talking about with the librarian?" she said, changing the subject. 

"I asked him if he knew of any spiritual places in Ba Sing Se."

"Are there?"

"He didn't seem to know what I was talking about, so probably not. The Earth Kingdom as a whole doesn't seem like a very spiritual place."

"Are you looking for a place to enter the Spirit World? Like the Spirit Oasis in the North Pole?"

"Exactly. I think it's easier to enter the Spirit World from a sacred place."

"We could go to the North Pole. Or maybe an Air Temple?"

Aang thought for a moment. "I think I have the best chance to find Wan Shi Tong's library if I enter the Spirit World in the Earth Kingdom."

"Makes sense, the Earth Kingdom was the last place he was physically. What about the Northern Air Temple? That's in the Earth Kingdom."

"I don't know if I would be able to focus with all the machines around me."

"Oh yeah… let's pull out a map when we get back to the house, that might help us find a spiritual place."

They spent the rest of the afternoon eating lunch and pouring over a large map of the Earth Kingdom. 

"What about the Abbey, where those nuns made perfume? They should know a spiritual place," Aang said, pointing to where the Abbey was on the map.

"That's true, nuns are usually spiritual people." 

"I know! Hai Bai's forest, near Senlin village," Aang exclaimed. "The first time I entered the Spirit World was there, it's perfect!"

Just then a bug crawled onto the map. Aang or Katara could react, Momo had flown in and squashed it before bringing it to his mouth to eat.

"Momo you're getting bug guts all over the map!" laughed Aang as Momo chattered and leaped away.

"I don't think the people who lent us this map will appreciate the new feature Momo added," Katara giggled. She bended some water out of a nearby flower vase and gently swirled it over the stain. 

"There, good as new," she said, returning the water to the vase. 

"Momo squashed the bug over the Swamp, how fitting," said Aang, inspecting the newly cleaned area. "Remember the giant bugs that were there?"

"How could I forget? I wonder if they took inspiration from the giant tree in the middle of the Swamp."

"The giant tree… that's it!"

"Aang, I was kidding. Of course the bugs aren't big because the tree was big."

"No, the giant tree!  _ That  _ was a spiritual place. Remember how I found Appa and Momo because of it?"

Katara's eyes widened. "You don't mean- you think the giant tree is where we should go for you to enter the Spirit World?"

"Yes! And look at how close it is to the desert where the library was," he said, pointing at the map. 

Aang's excitement was contagious. "Aang, it's perfect! I can even practice my water bending there, while your spirit is away!"

Momo, excited that Katara and Aang were excited, flew around their heads. 

"Let's leave tomorrow," said Aang, after they had all calmed down. 

"Good idea. We can turn in all our books tomorrow before we go, we can always get them again later."

They rolled the map back up and put it away, happy to finally have a plan. 

"Want to go to Iroh's tea shop tonight? It's been awhile since we've been able to pay him a visit."

They left shortly thereafter, leaving Momo with a bowl of fruit. 

Soon after being seated and their tea served, Iroh walked out to greet them. 

"Young Avatar and water bender," he said after giving them a small bow. "Mind if I join you?"

The nodded and Iroh took a seat. Aang told him about their plans to retrieve Air Nomad history from Wan Shi Tong's library. 

"So you weren't kidding about the ancient spirit library you told Zuko and I about all those weeks ago," Iroh said, stroking his beard. 

"We tried going to the University library first, but they didn't have very much of anything."

"I'm glad you are able to pursue your goals, Aang. As you know, it can be difficult to work with a spirit, especially one you have offended in the past." Iroh took a sip of his tea then continued. "But spirits, like people, are usually more cooperative when they have something to gain. Have you thought of what to offer this library spirit in return for him sharing his knowledge with you?"

Aang scratched his head. "I'm sure I'll think of something."

Iroh turned to Katara. "And what about you, Katara? Now that the world isn't in war, what will you do with your free time?"

Katara sipped her tea then answered. "I'm here to help Aang with what he needs as well as help with things in the South Pole."

"You sound like my nephew. It's easier for him to help others than to help himself."

"Speaking of Zuko, how is he doing?"

Aang fidgeted when Katara asked the question, but Katara didn't notice. 

"He doesn't have a crazy sister or father after him anymore, but I'm sure the stress of rebuilding a nation and being Fire Lord is difficult."

"Probably more difficult than he lets on."

Iroh nodded. "I've told him he needs to slow down and drink tea before he runs himself into the ground." He poured more tea for everyone. "But Zuko doesn't like to be told that. He won't admit it, but what he really needs is someone who is like the ocean: strong and flexible, steady and comforting. And they can send waves to cool him down when he gets too hot headed," Iroh laughed. 

"Is Mai still with him?" asked Katara, remembering the sullen girl she had seen Zuko with the few days after his coronation. 

"Zuko tells me they're still dating, she just had to leave town on political business."

Eventually Iroh had to return to his staff. Katara and Aang left after finishing their tea and conversations. 

"We should pay Zuko a visit after we finish with the Library," Katara said once they returned to the house. "I hate to think of him feeling alone up at the Fire Palace."

\---

Two days later Appa, Momo, Katara and Aang found themselves resting at the base of the ancient banyan-grove tree, the largest tree, the heart of the Swamp.

"Does it still feel spiritual?" Katara asked, slapping away a mosquito that landed on her arm. 

"Definitely," said Aang. He sat down and crossed his legs, placing his closed fists together in front of him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, concentrating. 

Katara walked a little ways off, talking quietly to Appa and Momo. She glanced at Aang every few minutes until his tattoos started glowing, signifying he had successfully entered the Spirit World. 

Katara pulled out  _ Water Bending: Drawing from Flame  _ and propped it open on Appa so she could see the illustrated water bending forms. 

"Let's see just how good fire bending forms are with water bending," she said as she drew water from the humidity in the air. 

\---

One moment Aang was meditating under the banyan-grove tree, hearing Katara's faint conversation with his animal companions. The next he was in the Spirit World. 

Aang opened his eyes and looked around. Tall trees surrounded him, their roots drinking from the pools of water that surrounded them. Thick vines curled their way up the trunks of the trees, extending themselves on the tree's branches, like snakes. 

The sun, or whatever brought light into the Spirit World, filtered through the leaves of those trees, casting everything into a doppled yellow-green world. 

Aang could hear noises that sounded like jungle animals in the distance, but he couldn't see any surrounding him. Everything was a mystery in the Spirit World, it seemed. 

"Better start looking, I guess," Aang said, mostly to himself. He picked a direction and started walking. 

He was glad that, at least to his knowledge, there weren't a lot of buildings in the Spirit World, which meant that it couldn't be confused for anything else. 

Aang walked for what felt like a few hours, though in the Spirit World it's difficult to tell time. The only change in the landscape was the trees were more frequent and the vines more populated. Aang could still hear several creatures making noise, but hadn't run into any of them. 

He stopped at a pool of water, looking at his reflection. He thought of Roku, the previous Avatar, who had greeted him as Aang's reflection the last time Aang looked at himself in a Spirit World puddle. 

Suddenly something that wasn't an Avatar caught Aang's eye in the reflection of the water. Above him was something that wasn't a tree. 

He looked up to find the source of the reflection. 

Above him, nestled in the vines, was a giant building. 

Wan Shi Tong's Library. 

Excitedly Aang prepared to airbend himself up, before remembering that he could only do that in the physical world. 

Instead he climbed the nearest tree to the library, using the vines that had wrapped around its trunk as feet and handholds. 

Eventually he made it and climbed inside. 

He was greeted with a cool silence. 

"Hello?" called Aang. "Anyone home? Wan Shi Tong? Fox helpers?"

"I thought I told you to never return here," a grave voice said behind him. 

Aang jumped and spun around. He looked up to see the face of a giant owl.

Aang bowed low. "Wan Shi Tong," he said with as much reverence as possible. "I know you said to never come back, but hear me out-"

"It takes a lot of nerve, Avatar, to tell  _ me  _ to listen to  _ you _ when the whole reason I had to take this library out of the physical world was because  _ you  _ didn't listen to  _ me. _ "

Aang continued to bow, thinking fast. 

Wan Shi Tong continued. "I am, however, impressed you were able to find me again. Was it to take back your friend?"

"Professor Zei? Is he still here?"

"He's dead."

"Oh. Well, no, that's actually not why I'm here."

The spirit owl didn't say anything, so Aang continued. 

"I'm here because I want knowledge about my people, the Air Nomads. Their history, their culture… everything."

"To start another war?"

"No. This is so that I can preserve the knowledge of my people in the physical world."

Wan Shi Tong stretched his neck until his face was mere inches from Aang's, who had finished his bow. 

"That is very noble of you, Avatar," the spirit said. "I know the genocide that happened with Air Nomads. But I cannot allow you to take my books and scrolls from the library."

Aang tried not to look too excited. It sounded like Wan Shi Tong was going to give him a chance. 

"I wouldn't be taking any books or scrolls. I would take notes and make my own record, based off of what I find in your library," he explained. 

The owl hummed, thinking. Finally he retracted it's neck, retuning it to normal size. 

"A noble cause indeed. Too bad I don't trust you"

The hope that had welled in Aang's chest deflated like a balloon. 

"Goodbye, Avatar," said Wan Shi Tong, turning away. 

"Wait! What if- what if someone else came to the library? Instead of me?"

"And who would you send? The Water Tribe boy who hit me with a book? The earth bending girl who tried to prevent my library from sinking?"

"No, not them. I'll send… someone else. Someone who hasn't been here before."

"I will not allow any common peasant into my library."

"He's not a common peasant. He's the Fire Lord."

The owl turned back around and gazed at Aang with his great amber eyes. 

"The Fire Lord? Interesting… and he is willing to come in your stead?"

"Yes," Aang said, avoiding Wan Shi Tong's gaze. "Yes, he will be happy to come."

"Alright. I will return my library to the physical world this full moon."

"Where will you return? And for how long?"

The spirit owl lifted his wing and pressed a fether to Aang's forehead, giving him a brief vision of where the library will appear. 

"It will be there for one week."

"Thank you, Wan Shi Tong," Aang said, bowing again. 

Wan Shi Tong touches Aang's head again with his wing, returning him to his body in the physical world. 

Aang opened his eyes, back in the heart of the Swamp. It was twilight and Katara was curled up on Appa with Momo beside her. 

Aang ran over to wake her up and began explaining all that had happened in the Spirit Work. 

"How did you change Wan Shi Tong's mind about returning to the physical world?"

"Well at first he said that he didn't trust me enough to go through his books again."

"Then what did you say?"

"I said that, well, Zuko would go in my stead."

"Zuko? Why him?"

"Because I trust him. And because Wan Shi Tong said he was allowed in the library."

"But Aang, will Zuko even be willing to do that? It's such a huge project, and you said that Wan Shi Tong said the library will only be here for a week."

"I know."

"And the full moon is in four days."

"I know."

"So what you're saying is that we need to travel to the Fire Nation Capital, convince Zuko to enter a library with a deadly owl spirit, record as much Air Nomad history as possible, then actually bring him to the library… all in four days."

"It's crazy, I know. But we have to try."

Katara looked into Aang's eager gray eyes. 

"I guess we had better set a course for the Fire Nation first thing tomorrow morning," she said.


	7. The Library

"Sir, the Avatar and his girlfriend are here to see you," Kaizen said, bowing to the Fire Lord. 

"They are? Did they say what they wanted?" responded Zuko, looking up from the manuscript he was reading. 

He was sitting on the throne in the throne room. The orange flames dancing around him gave everything a deep and flickering shadow. Zuko normally avoided this room, or at least avoided spending too much time sitting on the throne. He told those who worked with him that his frequent absences from the throne room came from the fact that he preferred to spend time with his people. 

Although that was true, the real reason he avoided the throne room was because of the memories that haunted him here. 

This was where he incurred the displeasure of his father and grandfather after a failed attempt of a fire bending technique. 

This was where Azula, his younger sister, had learned of his father's plan to kill him.

This was where he had spoken against his father in a war council, which had resulted in Zuko's facial scar and banishment. 

"They said they had something important to speak to you about," said Kaizen. 

Zuko thanked his manservant and dismissed him. He looked back down at the manuscript he was supposed to finish reading before the day's end. He was sure Katara and Aang wouldn't mind waiting until he was finished reading, but after the throne room door boomed shut after Kaizen left, Zuko stood to leave. 

Being alone with his throne room memories and reading the manuscript would have to wait. Zuko wanted to see his friends. 

\---

Zuko found Katara and Aang in the palace gardens, Katara admiring the flowers that had just begun to bloom and Aang quacking at the turtle ducks. 

"Glad you're enjoying the gardens," Zuko said when he approached. 

Aang air bended to his feet and gave Zuko a hug. "It's good to see you again, Zuko!" he exclaimed. 

Katara also made her way over and gave Zuko a hug after Aang. "Sorry if we interrupted anything, we know we came out of the blue."

"It's fine, I needed a break anyway." Zuko turned and called for a servant to bring them a light meal and cool drinks. 

Zuko sat on a bench while his friends sat down on an adjacent one so they could face each other. 

"So why are you here?" Zuko asked.

"Remember the last time I was here? With you and Iroh?" Aang said, accepting a sandwich from the servant who brought them food.

Zuko nodded, also accepting a sandwich. 

"We were talking about what we could do in our free time," Aang continued. "And I had said that I wanted to find and compile a history about the Air Nomads."

"I take it Ba Sing Se University didn't work out, or else you wouldn't be here. I've already told you though, the Fire Nation libraries wouldn't have an accurate history."

"The University didn't work out, but we're not here to look through Fire Nation libraries."

"Then what do you need me for?'

"Well…" Aang and Katara looked at each other.

"Just spit it out already," Zuko said 

"There's a library from the Spirit World that will be here in the physical world for one week. It's the only place left that has an untouched record of the Nomads," said Aang.

"And?"

"The spirit who owns the library won't let Aang in because of a previous run-in," spoke up Katara. "But the spirit said he'll let in you, Zuko, because you're the Fire Lord."

Zuko's frown deepened. He turned to Aang. "But aren't you supposed to be the 'bridge between worlds'? What does a spirit care about  _ me? _ "

"Like Katara said, because you're the Fire Lord. Wan Shi Tong, the library spirit, is probably flattered that the ruler of a nation is willing to come to his library," said Aang. 

"It sounds like you've already promised the spirit that I would be there," Zuko said.

"It was the only way I could convince Wan Shi Tong to bring his library back to the physical world."

Zuko bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his nose before looking back up. "I want to help you Aang, but I don't know if I can. Things are just barely returning to normal here and I don't know if I should leave on a week-long adventure."

Aang let out a breath. "It's okay, I understand. Like I told Katara, my present is more important than my past. I don't want to put you in a situation you don't want to be in." 

"I'm sorry again I can't help you with this, but let me know if there's something else in the future that you need."

"Actually, there's something I need right now, if you can manage it," said Katara. "A tour of the palace. I've only been here twice, and both times I wasn't able to look around."

Zuko smiled, glad he was able to help in some way. 

"It would be my honor to give a tour." He turned again to Aang. "You were just here a few weeks ago, I guess you wouldn't want another tour, huh?"

"No, probably not. I think I'll fly around the city, see how everyone is doing."

"See you later, Aang!" Katara said before turning to follow Zuko inside.

Aang watched them go before expanding his glider and taking off, feeling that tonight would probably feature his dream of Katara in the sand where Zuko, not himself, would be the one to save her. 

\---

"When will your portrait be up?" Katara asked after Zuko had shown her the Royal Gallery. "Hopefully yours won't be as frightening as your ancestors. No offense."

"None taken, most of them  _ were  _ frightening." He walked up to the portrait of his father, the previous Fire Lord. 

"You know, I've been thinking," he continued, "of taking some portraits down before I put mine up."

"Why's that?"

"Because I don't like having the faces of the rulers who created so much destruction on display. It's almost like a monument to them."

Katara looked up at the portraits as silence surrounded them, both in thought. She turned and looked at Zuko before speaking again. "I think you should keep them up."

"Why? Don't forget it was the Fire Nation who invaded your homeland too," he said, surprised.

"It would be impossible to forget," she said, touching her necklace. "But I think that's the point- to not forget. I think that all history should be remembered, good and bad. It shows how your people became who they are today."

Zuko turned to face her, his golden eyes meeting her blue. 

"And you're part of the good history, Zuko," she continued. "So when your portrait is hung the Fire Nation will be able to see all the wrongs you've righted."

Their gazes continued before Katara broke it off. "At least, that's what I would do if I were here. And a lack of history is the problem Aang is facing now. Wouldn't want to repeat that for the Fire Nation."

Saying that reminded Zuko of the goal he had made to organize recent Fire Nation history. He told Katara about it, about how he spent most of his nights pouring over mounds of scrolls and books at his desk. 

"My hope is that future generations will know the truth about what happened during the Hundred Year War, and not just learn about all the propaganda," he explained. "If only I had more points of view than just from the Fire Nation. Maybe I should pay a visit to Ba Sing Se University."

"Too bad they don't have anything on the air benders. That would really round out Fire Nation history."

"That's true. I hope Aang is able to access all that history from Wan Shi Tong. It would really help all the other nations too-" Zuko stopped, both his sentence and walking. 

Katara also stopped and turned around to look at him. "What?" she asked, a little too innocently. 

"You tricked me."

"How so?"

"You convinced me to help Aang go to the spirit library. How did you do that?"

She smiled and shrugged. "I didn't really do anything. You came to the conclusion yourself." 

Zuko shook his head then continued walking.

"Where are you going? Isn't this the end of the tour?" Katara said, keeping on strife with Zuko.

"It is, but now we need to find Aang. If the library will only be in the physical world for a week, then we need to start making a plan."

Katara smiled to herself, impressed at Zuko's honest desire to do the right thing. 

They stepped out of the palace into the bright sun, searching the sky and surrounding area of Aang. 

"Where do you think he is?" Katara asked, shielding her eyes from the bright glare. 

"Don't know. Guess we'll have to start walking around. But before we go, I need to thank you, Katara."

"For what?"

"For helping me see why it's important to help Aang go to the spirit library. But also for your advice, about the portraits."

"Oh," she responded, startled by his sudden softness. "No problem. I've always got your back."

"I know. And I appreciate it. The last conversation I had in the Royal Gallery was with Azula. It's nice to finally have a positive memory there."

Before Katara could respond he set off, and they began their search for Aang.

Eventually they found him, showing off some air bending tricks to some children. 

Upon seeing the Fire Lord, the children turned and gave a small bow. 

"Is that your wife?" one of them shouted, pointing at Katara. 

The Fire Lord, Avatar and master water bender became flustered at the small child's comment and began explaining all at once what was going on. 

Confused, the child picked his nose and walked away. Aang took a deep breath then faced Zuko and Katara. "So, how was the tour?"

"It was good, but not as good as the news we're about to give you," said Katara.

"I've changed my mind about helping you. I will go to the spirit library and gather as much of the history of your people as I can."

"Zuko! That's great!" Aang said, jumping into the air. "What's changed your mind?"

"Katara helped me see the importance of having a completed history. It will be beneficial for everyone if knowledge of the Air Nomads was made available."

Aang grabbed Katara's hand and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, Katara," he said as she blushed. 

They made their way back to the palace, making a plan of action. Aang explained how Wan Shi Tong wouldn't allow Zuko to take anything from the library, so he would have to take notes on paper. 

Zuko talked about how he would be able to leave the Fire Nation for a week in order to get everything done. 

In the end it was decided that Zuko would temporarily entrust the Nation to the Fire Sages. Aang, because he wouldn't be allowed inside the library, would also stay in the Capital to make sure everything was running smoothly. 

Before leaving for the library, which would once again appear in the desert, they would load Appa up with all the supplies needed to record the books, as well as food and drink for the time spent in the library, as they anticipated Wan Shi Tong would not provide any earthly comforts. At the end of the week they would load everything back onto Appa, return Zuko to the Fire Nation, then Aang would work on making books out of Zuko's notes. 

"And what about you?" Zuko asked Katara.

"What about me?"

"You're coming with me to the library, right?"

An awkward silence followed between the three of them. 

"Wait, did you expect me to go to the library  _ alone? _ " 

"Well, I thought that that was obvious," Aang said. 

"You said that the spirit wasn't going to allow  _ you  _ to enter the library, I thought that meant Katara was still able to come. How am I supposed to find everything I need and record it all  _ by myself? _ "

"There are little fox guides, they can show you where to go if you ask them," Aang offered. 

"Oh, well that's just cute. I suppose these foxes have thumbs so they can help me write down things too?" Zuko responded sarcastically. 

Katara thought for a moment. "Aang, did Wan Shi Tong say anything specific about me not being able to come to the library? Zuko brings up a good point, it would be hard to do everything alone."

Aang thought back on his conversation with the owl spirit. "No, he didn't say anything about you not entering, Katara," he admitted. 

"Then what if I go with Zuko? Between you and the Fire Sages I don't think you'll need my help in the Capital."

Aang bit his lower lip in thought. "There's still a chance that Wan Shi Tong won't let you in the library, even if he didn't specifically mention you."

"Doesn't hurt to at least try. If he doesn't want me there then I'll just leave."

Flashes of Aang's reoccurring nightmare flashed before his eyes: Katara, in a desert that looked a lot like the one they were about to fly through. Hurt. Calling for help. Aang, not Zuko, was the only one there to help. 

He almost shared his dream with them, but decided against it. "You're right, we should try. But if you can get in, just be careful." 

\---

The day they were set to leave, the day the library would once again be in the physical world, came. The Fire citizens waved their Fire Lord and his friends goodbye as they boarded Appa and flew towards the Earth Kingdom, to the desert. 

Zuko wore an outfit similar to the one he wore before he was Fire Lord, traveling with Team Avatar. His hair was also back to its original style, lying loose around his head and in his face instead of a bun adorned with the Fire Crown. 

"Your hair has gotten longer," Katara remarked to Zuko, noticing how he now had to tuck his hair behind his ears in order to keep it out of his face.

Zuko nodded. "I figure I have to grow my hair longer to compensate for Aang being bald."

All three of them laughed and for a moment it felt like old times, when they had all traveled together before the end of the War. 

A few hours later Aang called their attention to help him look for the library, which should be nearby. 

Together they looked, seeing nothing but shimmering heat waves over an endless sea of yellow sand. 

"Are you sure it's out here?" Zuko asked, wiping sweat from his brow. 

"I'm sure. I was shown by Wan Shi- there it is!" Aang said, pointing. 

Ahead of them stood a giant building, looking completely out of place in the desert. 

"I've never seen it outside of the sand. It's beautiful," said Katara. 

Aang flew Appa down by the entrance. It looked even bigger now that they stood at the base. Tall spires and domes stretched above them, eager to touch the sky. 

A fox ran out of the entrance and approached them.

"Is this one of the fox helpers you were talking about earlier?" Zuko asked. 

The fox nodded in answer to the question. 

The trio grabbed everything from Appa's saddle and began bringing it in. The fox yipped at Aang, sending the message that Aang wasn't wanted here.

"I know, I know," Aang said to the fox. "I'm just helping my friends bring everything inside. Then I'll leave, promise."

Seemingly satisfied the fox led the way through the doorway. Entering they found themselves in a grand lobby, similar to the one at Ba Sing Se University, but this one didn't have a desk. 

It was quiet for a moment, the fox had left them. 

"Do you think he's getting Wan Shi Tong?" asked Katara. No one answered, but their nerves could be felt in the air like humidity. The silence stretched on.

"Is the spirit coming or not?" a frustrated Zuko said. 

"I am already here," said a voice. 

Wan Shi Tong flew into the room, his great wings willing the lobby. 

"You are the Fire Lord," he said, turning to Zuko after he landed. "You are young."

Zuko stared back defiantly, but didn't say anything. 

"You are the water bender that was here before."

Katara swallowed, wondering if she should anticipate an attack from the giant owl. But Wan Shi Tong seemed to have nothing else to say to her. 

"And you," he said, swinging his enormous head toward Aang, "need to leave. Goodbye, Avatar."

Aang gave an uneasy look at Zuko and Katara. It seemed that he was the only one unwelcome. He set down the baggage he had brought in.

Bowing to the owl and thanking him again, Aang promised to be back in a week. A fox appeared again to see Aang out. 

Just as the front doors swung shut, Aang overheard Wan Shi Tong speak to Zuko and Katara. 

"What did you bring to offer me?" he said. 

"What do you mean?" Katara said. Aang could hear a small note of panic in her voice. 

"If you do not have an offering then-"

The doors shut, cutting off the conversation. Aang turned around and tried to open them, but they were locked tight. He could only faintly make out a muffled conversation but couldn't understand any words. 

Aang tried to fight the anxiety that filled his stomach like poison. What would Wan Shi Tong do to his friends because they don't have an offering? He and Katara had completely forgotten that expectation. 

Would he kill them? Use their heads as trophies? Sink the library back into the sand, keeping them prisoners forever? 

Aang tried to listen through the door again. Silence. A fox appeared beside him and whined, impatient for him to leave. 

"Are my friends okay?" he asked, trying to remain calm. 

The fox just stared.


	8. Teamwork

"What did you bring to offer me?" said Wan Shi Tong. He wasn't shouting, but his voice still filled the room.

"What do you mean?" Katara said, disappointed at how small her voice sounded. She could hear the doors, their only chance of escape, closing behind her.

"If you do not have an offering then you are not welcome. You knew an offering was required, water bender," he said, turning his great amber eyes on her.

"Yes, yes of course," she said, trying to stay calm. She had to think fast. How could she and Aang have both forgotten about the required offering into the library? 

"The offerings are in our bags. Give us a moment, we'll get them for you."

Zuko glanced at Katara but didn't say anything. 

Wan Shi Tong watched as they started going through the packs they had brought with them to the library. 

"What will the owl accept as an offering?" Zuko whispered. "And why didn't you tell me about this?"

"I forgot," she hissed back. "And he wants an offering of knowledge, something he can use to contribute to his library."

Zuko paused. "I think I have something that I can use for both of our contributions."

He stood up to face the owl, pulling the bag that he had been carrying off his shoulder. Katara also rose, daring to feel relieved; there was nothing of worth to give Wan Shi Tong in the luggage they had brought with them.

"Owl Spirit," Zuko said, bowing his head. "I offer you these scrolls for our contribution. It contains a portion of Fire Nation history."

Zuko held out the bag he was holding. Wan Shi Tong was silent, and for a moment Katara thought he was going to strike. Instead he swept his great wings over the bag, showing acceptance of the offer. 

"This is a very valuable contribution. Our information on the Fire Nation is… lacking."

The owl turned to Katara, expectantly. 

"I was hoping my contribution would count for both of us," Zuko said, after correctly interpreting the owl's gaze. 

"Though I am grateful for your contribution, it will not count for both of you."

Zuko and Katara shared a glance, wondering what to do next. Should Katara leave, making Zuko do the work alone? But then how would Katara get out of the desert? It would take days to send Aang a message to pick her up if he had already left. But she couldn't ruin this chance for Aang, for the  _ world _ , to have a knowledge of air bending culture. 

Katara prayed that Zuko would have the sense to let her go while he stayed at the library. 

But before Katara could speak she felt a nudge on her elbow. Looking down she saw one of the foxes that assisted Wan Shi Tong in the library. It dipped it's head in Katara's bag and pulled out a book. 

_ A book? _ Katara thought, surprised. She didn't know that was there. 

The fox brought the book to Wan Shi Tong. 

" _ Water Bending: Drawing From Flame _ ?" he said, again sweeping his wing and taking the book. "Interesting."

Katara thought back to her last visit at the University library. She didn't realize she hadn't returned all her books.

"You are now free to peruse my library. But be warned," said the owl, his voice once again filling the room, "I will be watching you closer. Any misstep will result in your execution."

Then he left, gracefully maneuvering his giant body out of sight. 

Zuko and Katara breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," said Katara, patting the fox who had found the book in her bag. The fox seemed to smile in reply. 

"Now what?" said Zuko.

"I guess we make our way to the Air section of the library," replied Katara. "Can you lead us there?" she said to the fox, remembering how another fox assistant had helped them find their way during their last visit to the library. 

The fox turned and, after waiting for Katara and Zuko to shoulder everything they had brought into the building, led them where they needed to go. 

They left the grand lobby and entered the actual library. Rows and rows of shelves surrounded them in all directions. The appeared to be near the top, as there were far fewer floors above them than below. 

Everything was lit by glowing green crystals. Above them was the oculus with a beam of sunlight shining through.

"That's how we entered the library last time," Katara said, pointing to the oculus. "Only the tallest point of the library was visible above the sand. We climbed through one of the windows and used a rope to enter the library."

Zuko looked at the oculus then back at Katara. "Did you escape by climbing back up the rope?"

"Aang flew us out on his glider after Sokka hit Wan Shi Tong in the head with a book."

"Sounds like something Sokka would do."

The fox yipped, telling them to keep walking.

Although they continued moving, their eyes continued to wander through the library. It wasn't just the vast amounts of scrolls and tomes that were impressive, it was also the works of art that hung on the walls and sculptures that sat on pedestals. Detailed maps and ancient artifacts that adorned the empty spaces. Stuffed animal heads and dried plants that neither of them recognized. 

Finally they arrived at a great entryway marked with swirling markings, the symbol of Air. 

The fox padded off, satisfied that it's work was now done. 

Katara and Zuko entered the area and we're soon surrounded by an endless sea of knowledge about the Air Nomads. Katara walked to a nearby pedestal which featured a book about the construction of several different types of air gliders. Zuko looked at a mosaic featuring several flying bison in the sky with winged lemurs swirling around them.

"This is like the necklace Aang was wearing after the War had ended," said Katara, looking at a glass box that held the artifact. 

"I wonder how old it is," Zuko mused, looking over her shoulder. 

He then turned back to the rows of books and scrolls. "We should get started, though. We only have a week to get as much knowledge for Aang as possible."

Katara agreed and began pulling out blank paper and writing utensils for them both. "Where do we start?" she said, looking around. 

Zuko pulled down a few of the nearest scrolls. "Right here, I guess."

Katara did the same with a large tome on the adjacent shelf. Not finding any desks, they sat back to back and began recording information.

They could only tell the passing of time by the filling of once-empty paper, drinking cups of tea Zuko had made, and the eating of snacks Katara had brought. Once or twice they thought they heard the rustling of great wings, but they never saw the owl. 

Eventually Katara stood up and rubbed her arms. "It's getting kind of cold," she said, voice sounding cracked from the lack of use over the past few hours. "I'm getting a blanket. Do you want one?"

Zuko looked up from the passage he was recording. 

"I'm fine, thanks."

Katara went to their packs and pulled out a blanket. Wrapping it around her shoulders she returned to where she was sitting.

They continued working in silence until Zuko spoke: "What did Wan Shi Tong mean when he said knowledge on the Fire Nation was 'lacking'?"

Katara pulled the blanket in tighter. "Do you remember Zhao from the Fire Nation navy?"

"Hard to forget him."

"He was the last visitor before me, Aang and the others came. He told Wan Shi Tong he just wanted to do research."

"I'm guessing he did more than just research?"

"Mhm. He abused the library to find more information to help the Fire Nation win the war. Then, fearing someone else would use the library to oppose the Fire Nation _ ,  _ he burned almost everything about his own people."

Zuko's frown deepened. "And that's what started Wan Shi Tong's distrust of humans."

Katara nodded. "That's why he was so upset that we had also used the library for war."

Zuko stopped writing. "There was once a time that the Fire Nation was cooperative and helpful toward the other nations." He shook his head. "Now we're just a nation that brings fear into others."

Katara turned around to face Zuko's back. He sounded so tired. "But that's the past. Those things happened, but that doesn't mean things can't change for the better."

He let out a long breath. "You're right. It's just hard to focus on the positives when every time I turn around I find more evidence about how destructive the Fire Nation have been."

Katara hesitated then scooted up beside him, resting her hand on his shoulder, something she did when trying to comfort Aang. She felt him tense at her touch, as if unsure how to respond. 

"You're a good leader. Don't blame yourself for others' mistakes."

Though his facial expression didn't change, she felt him relax under her hand. 

"Thank you, Katara. Aang is lucky to have someone like you."

They sat for a moment, thinking about the records they should probably get back to. 

Suddenly Katara was aware of how itchy her eyes felt, how heavy her mind was. 

"I wonder what time it is. I feel like it might be time to go to sleep," she said.

They stood up and stretched. 

"I agree. It feels pretty late to me too."

They walked back out to the main area where the oculus was visible. The dim light of the full moon filtered through. 

They went back to their belongings. Zuko began cleaning up their writing gear and putting back the books and scrolls they had already finished reading. Katara searched the bag for their sleeping gear.

She looked again. And again. Aside from the blanket already wrapped around her shoulders and the single pillow found, there was no other sleeping gear. 

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked, noticing her frozen posture. 

"It seems we didn't pack another blanket and pillow," she said awkwardly, turning around. 

"Oh," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Must've happened when we were still planning on just me being at the library, not both of us."

He rubbed the back of his neck before continuing. "I guess I don't even need a blanket. I can keep myself warm through breathing techniques."

"Like how Aang keeps himself warm?" Katara said, thinking back to the conversation she heard between Aang and Suki in Harbor City.

"I guess? My uncle taught me how to do it, wouldn't be surprised if he had somehow learned it from the air benders."

"Would you be able to keep it up all night? I don't think Wan Shi Tong would allow us to light a fire in his library."

"It shouldn't be that hard."

Katara gave him a look of disbelief, but decided not to press the issue. 

"Do you think we can convince Wan Shi Tong to send a fox with a message to Aang to bring more supplies?" she said.

"Maybe. But Aang couldn't get here that quick."

She handed him the pillow. "Then you take this, I'll take the blanket. It's only fair."

"But Katara-"

"I  _ said,"  _ she snapped, "it's only fair."

Zuko took the pillow and used it to support his back while he sat against a nearby wall. 

Katara hesitated then went to sit near him. 

"Sorry I snapped. I feel bad for not remembering to go through the supplies before we left and yo warning everyone about needing to bring Wan Shi Tong an offering."

Zuko shrugged. "It all worked out okay. You don't need to blame yourself, it's everyone's fault."

After promising to find Wan Shi Tong in the morning to convince him to send a message to Aang, Katara laid down and Zuko leaned his head back against the wall to sleep. 

\---

"Zuko?" Katara whispered sometime later. "Are you awake?"

"Yes," was his whisper back. 

"How's the breathing working out for you?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Because I can feel how cold the air is."

"I'm fine, go back to sleep."

He drew his cloak and knees closer to his chest. 

"Do you want to… do you want to just share the blanket?" Katara said, somehow feeling more nervous now than when she thought the owl spirit was going to attack them. 

Zuko didn't respond, which gave Katara time to regret ever speaking up. Maybe in the morning she could pretend she was sleep talking, or that Zuko was dreaming, that this conversation wasn't real. Why did she think Zuko would want to share a blanket? What was wrong with her?

"Sure," he finally said. It took Katara a minute before realizing what now had to happen. She wondered if it was too late to pretend she was just sleep talking. But Zuko really did look miserable in the cold library. 

She got up and sat beside him, helping him stretch the blanket over them both. 

Not knowing what to say, they both stayed quiet. The moment was awkward enough without having to talk about it. 

But soon the drowsiness Katara had felt earlier came back. She leaned her head against the wall, trying not to cuddle Zuko as much as possible. 

Eventually they both fell asleep, tiredness overcoming tension. 

Slowly Katara's sleeping head fell on Zuko's shoulder and slowly Zuko's head left the pillow to rest on Katara's. 

Only tonight would this happen, Aang and Mai would understand, they both thought. It's just to stay warm and comfortable in a library where a killer owl lurks. Nothing more.


	9. Together Alone

"I found it!"

"What?"

"The recipe for the fruit pies Aang used to make with the monks," Katara said, excitedly writing the recipe down.

"That's nice," was Zuko's response, turning back to his own reading. 

"Aren't you at least a little curious at how the Nomads made fruit pies?" 

"Not really."

"Guess if I ever make them I won't need to share with you."

"You say that like Aang won't make fruit pies every day till we're sick of them."

Katara bit back a smile at Zuko's teasings. There was a time that she would have been genuinely annoyed at his apparent lack of interest, but she knew the grumpy Firelord's sense of humor better now. 

It was just past noon on their sixth day in the library. Thanks to the owl's willingness to trade Fire Nation knowledge for his permission to the library foxes to bring back any missing supplies for Zuko and Katara, the last few days had been comfortable. 

Or as comfortable as they can be, thought Katara, rotating her shift shoulders. 

They had been writing as much as they could about the history, cultures and customs of the air benders, slowly making their way around the section of the library dedicated to them. 

Though Wan Shi Tong only rarely walked by to glance at them, the fox assistants frequented their location. One sat with Zuko now, leaned against his leg as Zuko hunched over a book titled The Founding of the Western Air Temple: Why Being Upside-down Makes Sense. Absentmindedly he scratched between the fox's ears with one hand, recording information with the other. 

The foxes usually went to Zuko, despite the attention Katara was willing to give to them. She figured it was probably because of his higher body warmth, something the foxes rarely, if ever, got to lean against. 

Thinking of this brought Katara back to their first night in the library, where it had been her and not a fox meaning against Zuko's side. 

Though the circumstances leading to the event were out of both of their control, they had both made a silent agreement to never talk of it again the morning after they woke up together.

"At least we both stayed warm," was all Katara had said that morning. Zuko had only grunted in response. 

At first Katara worried the night would make things awkward for the rest of their time in the library, but they both quickly got over it. 

"Are you hungry?" Zuko asked eventually, his voice startling the fox who had fallen asleep.

"Too bad we don't have any fruit pies."

"Very funny. It's lunch time and I'm going to make some sandwiches for us, if you wanted one."

"How thoughtful. Sure, I'll take one"

Zuko set his book and paper down and headed to their food supply. 

"So how's your book so far?" Katara asked over the meal Zuko had prepared. "And your tea making skills have improved, I must say."

"Thanks. Turns out making tea can be a lot more complicated than just boiling some water with leaves inside."

He sat across from her, grabbing his own sandwich. "And the book is interesting. Turns out it was made by earth benders, under the direction of the air benders."

"Makes sense, it would be hard to build upside down with only air bending."

Zuko sipped his tea in agreement. The fox returned to his side, lying down with a huff. 

"Did you ever have pets, growing up in the palace?" Katara asked.

"No, unless you count the turtle ducks living in the courtyard pond. I imagine my father would never allow an animal inside the palace… what about you? Any pets?"

"Sokka once brought a baby otter penguin home when we were kids. We only had it for a day, but it was still fun."

"Where was it's mom?"

"That's why we only had it for a day- the mom found our igloo and attacked Sokka until he let her baby go. My dad and I thought it was funny, but I think that's the reason Sokka still avoids otter penguins to this day."

Katara chuckled over the memory while Zuko smiled.

"Can I ask you something?" Katara said once they had finished their sandwiches.

"Sure."

"If it's too personal or difficult to answer then that's okay."

"Okay."

"It's about your scar… where did it come from?"

Zuko subconsciously pushed his hair in front of his face, over his scar. 

"If it's too personal then don't worry about answering, I'll understand," Katara said quickly, sensing his discomfort. 

"No, it's fine. Really," he said, seeing Katara's doubtful expression, "it's fine. I trust you, Katara."

The fox, sensing the shift in emotion, stood and trotted off, leaving Katara and Zuko alone. 

"I should give you some context first, about what's expected of Fire Nation Royalty…"

As he spoke Katara's eyes narrowed in disbelief then widened in horror. She gasped when he reached the part of the story where his father, the Fire Lord, challenged him to a duel. 

"But that's… just for speaking out? That was his reaction? An agni kai?"

"Yes." Zuko's voice, which had remained void of emotion to this point, began to shake. "I had done my best to please him, to be the perfect son, but speaking out just once…" he took a deep breath, steadying himself. "One mistake was all it took for my father to justify hurting others."

Zuko touched he scar, the burn a dark red in stark contrast to his pale skin. 

Zuko finished his story with his banishment, an event that left an even deeper scar on Zuko's heart. 

He took another breath then looked up to meet Katara's eyes for the first time since he began his tale.

"You- you're crying. I'm sorry, I didn't want to make you uncomfortable," he said, startled to see tears running down the water bender's cheeks. 

Katara brusquely wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. "You're sorry for me?" she said. "I'm the one that's sorry for you. I had no idea that your scar came from Ozai. I thought it was some sort of-"

"Training accident? Most people do. Probably because that's easier to accept than the truth."

Zuko could see Katara trying to hide the tears in her eyes. He didn't know what to do, about her emotion or his own that was welling up in his chest. 

Katara leaned forward and grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze. "I'm sorry, Zuko. I'm sorry you had to experience that."

Zuko tried to respond, but his voice caught in his throat. Tears formed in his eyes, soon falling down his own cheeks.

Her hand felt warm in his, the comfort staying even after she pulled away. 

"Thanks," was all he managed to say. He was used to others feeling sorry for him, especially now that he was Fire Lord and word of how he obtained his scar had spread through the city. He was sick of pity, sick of others feeling sorry for him. But with Katara, it didn't feel like she was sorry for him, but with him. 

He drew a breath, about to say something, but then they heard a rustling of giant feathers. Wan Shi Tong stood in the doorway, his giant body almost blocking the view of the hallway beyond. 

"You have twenty four hours from now till you have to leave," he spoke, his voice, though quiet filled the ears of his guests. "So please plan accordingly. Unless you would like to die here, as your scholar friend did."

Katara and Zuko quickly stood, wiping their eyes and bowing to the owl. "We understand," said Katara. 

As quickly as he came, the owl left. Zuko pushed his hair out of his face and Katara rubbed her arm. 

"Thanks for talking to me, telling me about your scar," she said, bending to clear the blanket they sat on for lunch. 

"Yeah," Zuko replied, moving to help. 

The rest of the day passed with little event, beside the fox reappearing and Katara giving Zuko gentle smiles more frequently than usual. 

"I forgot to ask," Zuko said into the darkness that contained Katara. 

"Forgot to ask for the recipe for fruit pies?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "No. I forgot to ask what kind of pet you would want to have."

Katara thought. "I don't know. I think having a pet would be fun, but the South Pole doesn't have any pet-like animals."

"Other than a baby otter penguin."

Katara laughed. "Yes, other than that. But if I moved somewhere else, somewhere warmer, I would want a fire ferret."

"Why?"

"They're cute, that's why."

"Next time you visit the Fire Nation I'll bring you to a pet store to hold one."

"Only if I can make you a fruit pie in return."

\---

"Got everything?" Katara called over her shoulder.

"Yes," was Zuko's response. 

They had arisen early that morning to transcribe as long as they could before needing to pack up and leave. Wan Shi Tong's watchful presence lingered around them, the foxes acting more somber as their hour to leave drew closer. 

Katara looked around at the section of the library that had been their home for the past seven days. She longed to be back in the world outside the library, but a small part of her would miss this quiet area (even if there was a killer owl watching them the whole time).

Despite having filled most of their time with reading and writing, there were still shelves filled with tomes and scrolls that remained untouched. 

"Do you think Aang will be okay, knowing we weren't able to record everything?" she asked, shouldering her satchel.

"He'll have to be. We recorded everything we could have in seven days."

Grabbing the rest of their gear, they left the area. The fox who was with them walked ahead, as if showing the way. 

"Don't get me wrong," Katara started, looking up at the great oculus, "I'm ready to finally leave the library, but part of me is sad to say goodbye forever."

"Why do you say that?" Zuko said, peering down into the depths of the library.

"We just might be the last humans to ever enter the library. So much knowledge!" she laughed. "I'm starting to sound like the professor who wanted to stay in this library forever, even when it was sinking."

Zuko nodded in agreement. "It really is incredible. I hope that somehow Wan Shi Tong will be able to rebuild the Fire Nation section completely, to make that knowledge whole again."

They turned a corner, passing a picture of an Avatar long past.

"I'll also miss the time we spent together," Katara finally said. "It was nice, getting to know you better."

Zuko gave a small smile. "You're welcome at the Palace anytime, you know. We can continue to get to know each other. I mean," he shook his head, flustered, "not in a weird way. I mean just talking. We can keep talking. Aang will be there too, he can talk with us."

Katara giggled. "And you're welcome at Harbor City anytime, we can keep talking there as well."

They turned the final corner, now standing at the giant doorway that had allowed them in originally. The fox had left, satisfied it's job as a guide was complete. 

"I was expecting Wan Shi Tong to be here, to make sure we actually left on time," said Zuko, looking around the vast lobby. 

"I am here, Fire Lord," a voice graveled behind them. 

The companions jumped and turned to see the giant owl behind them. 

Wan Shi Tong lowered his head, pressing his giant white face within inches of Zuko and Katara. 

He stared, his small black eyes searching. 

"I trust you aren't stealing anything from me," he said, his unblinking gaze continued. 

"No. We only have what we recorded," said Katara, feeling beads of sweat forming on the back of her neck. "Thank you again for letting us use your library. We'll leave now."

The owl stared a moment longer, then blinked and pulled away. 

"You may go. Though you have not abused my trust, you and the Avatar are not welcome here any longer. Goodbye, Fire Lord and master water bender."

"Goodbye," Zuko and Katara said together, bowing. 

The owl watched as they approached the doors, opened them, and left. 

The late afternoon sun was bright, making the sand almost appear white before their eyes could adjust. 

"We had better move away from the library," Katara said, taking Zuko's arm and walking forward. "Don't want to be pulled into the sand when Wan Shi Tong brings it back to the spirit world."

A soon as she finished her sentence the ground shook and the library began to tremor. 

Zuko and Katara ran up a small sand dune a short distance away then turned to watch the library descend into the sand. 

Eventually only the tallest spire remained, but that too disappeared under the sand. And then there was nothing except a giant indent in the sand where a great library once stood. 

"Do you think Aang will still be able to find us without the library?" asked Zuko, shading his eyes with his hand, looking into the sky for a flying bison. 

"Yes. He should be here soon," Katara said, also searching the sky with shaded eyes. 

The minute passed slowly, the hours even slower. 

The sky, once blue, was beginning to turn orange from the setting sun. 

The knot of worry in Katara's stomach, which had grown tighter as each hour had passed, was almost a physical pain. 

"Aang did know today was the day we left the library, right?" she said, trying to sound casual. 

"We marked it on the calendar before we left."

"What would make him this late, then?"

Zuko's lips tightened into a hard line. "What if he's not running late, what if something went wrong in the Fire Nation?"

She didn't think it was possible, but the knot in her stomach pulled tighter. "What do you mean?"

Zuko pushed the hair out of his face. "I don't know. It's just very unlikely that Aang would be late to get his friends from the middle of a desert in the Earth Kingdom."

"What should we do?"

Zuko paused and they both looked at the sky, which had changed to red.

"I think we should mark the area, if we can, so that if Aang comes he knows we made it out of the library."

"Then what?"

"Then we should start walking."


End file.
